I love you, Jane Rizzoli
by Laurelbrook
Summary: I ship Rizzles. This is a story about how Jane and Maura may eventually get together. I don't plan on making it excessively long, just a few chapters about Jane and Maura realizing to what level their friendship extends, with all the emotion that goes along with that. M rated for sexual content in later chapters. My first fanfic, so reviews are welcome.
1. Chapter I: LLBFFs

"Ugh, that creep," Jane says as she drives hurriedly away from Gilberti and Sons, the mechanic shop where Giovanni works, "Next time, just listen to me, Maura!"

"I know, Jane, you're right..." Maura sighs as she glances back through the car's passenger window to get one last look at Giovanni, "but, c'mon, he's sexy. You can't blame me for wanting to sleep with him."

"Ew. Yes, I can. Maura, he wanted to lick your face."

"Okay, well, _before_ I knew about the face-licking fetish, I was interested in sleeping with him. You know, studies show that sexual intercourse releases Immunoglobulin A, which is scientifically proven to be beneficial in -"

"Warding off colds. Yes, Maura, you've informed me of all your little...joyful fun facts about sex," Jane says sarcastically, rolling her eyes, but smiling to herself because she simply would not change the ridiculous way that Dr. Maura Isles sometimes is.

"You can't blame me for _enjoying_ sex, Jane. But, I'll admit, Giovanni was more of a passive attraction than a smart, logical interest."

"Ya think?" Jane remarks, exasperated, but slightly amused.

Maura continues, not at all amused, in fact, somewhat distraught, "It's just...it has been a while since my last...indulgence."

Jane couldn't help but smile, though she too knew Maura's plight. "Well, same here. But you don't see me so desperate that I'm running to hook up with Giovanni. And you don't have to resort to that anyways. You're beautiful and genius, the chief Medical Examiner of the Boston Police Department, for Christ's sake! You could have anyone you wanted. Just, stay away from those face-licking, pepper-wearing, Italian auto-mechanics, even if you think they're sexy."

Maura's mood is lightened, and she laughs with her head thrown back, that full, oh-so-Maura laugh that Jane happened to love. Jane's mouth formed its famous Rizzoli smirk, knowing she had been the prompter of that heart-warming laugh.

"Well, that's very nice," Maura says after laughing, in the same oblivious and sincere tone that she had told Giovanni it was "very nice" that he offered to "try it with two girls" after he was tricked into believing Jane and Maura were lovers, "but what makes you think I could get anyone I want, Jane?" Maura asks flirtatiously.

"Because!" Jane exclaims. She's slightly flustered, and she isn't quite sure why. "Like I said, you're a freaking genius and _gorgeous_."

"You think I'm gorgeous?" Maura cocked an eyebrow at Jane.

"Yes! I mean, of course you are, Maur."

* * *

Maura sat up in bed with a book, some chocolate, and a glass of red wine. She didn't realize she was distracted until she caught herself re-reading the same sentence. She closed her book, set it aside, and took a sip of her wine, her eyes fixated on a distant thought. Her mind had been replaying the scene in Giovanni's garage over and over again...

A smiled crept across Maura's lips and she remembered how the scene played out. She remembered staring up at Giovanni, flustered, not knowing how to decline his invitation of work, much less break the news that, despite what he thought, they weren't in a relationship. She remembered how, without thinking, she had turned to Jane, searching for help in Jane's face. She recalled stammering, so unlike her, when the idea came to mind. Her heart was warmed as she recollected the ease with which Jane swooped into her plot. One term of affection, one address of Jane as "babe," and Jane caught right on.

Something about the way Jane was so attentive to her, something about the way Jane connected with her, could seem to read her thoughts, something about the way Jane came to rattled Maura's aid so quickly... Something about the way Jane had laced her arms around her in that unnecessarily protective embrace...

Gave Maura butterflies.

Maura loved Jane, of course. And Jane often looked at Maura with an unmistakable love that made Maura's heart ache with affection. But this was something even more, something different. What was it?

Maura couldn't deny a slight attraction to Jane, but she had always considered that natural and attributed it to their close friendship and reverence for each other, her own appreciation of human anatomy, and Jane's decidedly attractive features. But when Jane's hands slid across her stomach, when Jane's arms clung to her hips, when Jane's body pressed comfortingly behind her, there was something more than a passing, admiring attraction.

Maura pondered. She analyzed her breathing, her body's sensations. She decided, somewhat hesitantly, but conclusively, that that "something more" was sexual arousal.

But, like Maura had told Jane, it had been a while since Maura's last indulgence in sex. The feelings, the butterflies, were most likely attributable to sexual frustration. Was she truly _attracted _to Jane in a _sexual_ manner?

That was likely not the case.

* * *

Jane sat in her apartment, feet up and beer in hand, TV muted. She was thinking, so that she didn't notice when the commercials were done; the TV remained on silent, even into her show. Something about today got to her, but she couldn't quite understand what it was. Something about Maura and Giovanni got to her, something about her own feelings got to her, and something about the whole situation puzzled her.

Jane was glad Maura wasn't pursuing Giovanni. Glad she would stop talking about his...shoulder to hip ratio, or whatever. But that wasn't it. There was something else. Jane was glad that Maura wasn't after Giovanni because...because...

What she had felt had been unnervingly similar to jealousy.

Jane didn't like hearing Maura talk about sex. Something inside her froze when she heard Maura mention her lovers. And, something about wrapping her arms around Maura, something about coming to assist that adorably flustered, impossibly gorgeous, incredibly intelligent Maura in her plan to stop Giovanni's advances, something about holding that beautiful person protectively in her arms...

Filled Jane's chest with warmth.

The more Jane thought about her affection for Maura, her hesitancy to speak or even think about Maura's lovers, and her physical reaction to embracing Maura, the more certain she became the most logical label for her feelings was, in fact, jealousy.

Nah, it couldn't have been jealousy. Why in the world would she feel jealous of Giovanni? And why over Maura? It must have been her protective side coming out. After all, Maura was her best friend. She loved Maura; the two shared an intimate friendship. She wanted to see Maura with someone better than Giovanni. Yeah, that's it.

...But it wasn't serious! Maura wasn't looking to really "be" with Giovanni, just to sleep with him. She wasn't going to _fall_ for him. Jane knew that. It wasn't about seeing Maura taken care of, seeing her with someone better. No, this was about Jane's feelings about Maura _sleeping _with Giovanni. Something about _that,_ specifically, bothered her. Could it really have been because she was jealous?

A fleeting thought passed through Jane, not even so coherent so as to be dubbed a thought. Rather, it was a passing fear, one that quickly seized her and then subsided upon quick dismissal. Was she...jealous for Maura? ...even..._sexually_ attracted to Maura?

Nah.


	2. Chapter II: Pull it Together

The next morning at work, Jane and Maura ran into each other while getting coffee and tea, respectively, at the café, as had become a regular occurrence. Something bolted through Jane's chest when she saw Maura, and something inside Maura went soft and warm when she saw Jane, but neither let on to their states.

Jane begrudgingly noticed the shock which had run through her body, concerned of what it hinted at. The usual happiness which filled her upon seeing Maura was replaced with a cautious hesitancy.

_I need to keep my emotions in check,_ Jane thought while distracting herself with a paper cup and coffee dispenser.

Maura was curious of her reaction towards Jane, open to the scientific explanations of the sensations she had felt, and keen on observing her dealings with Jane in the interests of further understanding what chemistry existed between them.

_I need to be perceptive of our interactions_, Maura thought as she approached Jane making her morning coffee, holding her hot tea in both hands.

"Morning, Jane," Maura said cheerfully as she greeted the detective before taking a sip from her drink.

Jane mixed a splash of cream into her coffee with a stir stick, not looking up but acknowledging Maura with a tired, yet affectionate, "Hey, Maur."

"If no cases turn up today, do you want to dine with me after work?" Maura inquired, eager to spend time with Jane. _So as to gather data to test my hypothesis, _Maura assured herself.

"Dirty Robber?" Jane asked, looking up from her coffee and thinking a burger and beer might serve as comfort food enough to ease her tenseness. Plus, Maura and she could relax at that place.

Maura thought it best to go where Jane was most comfortable. "Sure!" Maura flashed a smile at Jane, trying to fight the urge to be flirtatious which had instinctively crept up in Maura's manner.

Jane noticed the change, but couldn't pinpoint it. As they turned to leave the café, Jane asks, "...you okay, Maura?"

"Perfectly so."

"Alright...you just seem...really cheery."

Maura's face turns into one of perplexed contemplation, honestly weighing Jane's assessment of her demeanor, "Huh, that's odd. Usually lack of sleep has the opposite effect."

Jane held the door open for Maura as they left the café, and, with perfectly innocent concern, asks, "Aw, Maur, you aren't sleeping?"

"My sleeping habits have actually been quite stable lately. But last night was an exception."

"Well, what kept you up last night?"

"Uh..." Maura didn't know how to respond. She couldn't lie, but it was Jane that had kept her up last night. Maura just couldn't stop thinking about what had happened-

Maura's hesitancy alerted Jane. "Maura!"

Maura looked surprised and innocent, "What?!"

They stopped in front of the elevators. Maura's look of innocence calmed Jane's suspicions. "Okay, never mind. You're right. You wouldn't."

Maura's shoulders slumped and she looked entirely confused. "Wouldn't what?"

Jane's voice lowered and she leaned into Maura. "You know...sleep...with you know who?'

Maura looked appalled. "No! Jane! Of course not!" Maura defended herself abruptly, and maybe a little too abruptly, for she continued on, "And how could I? I mean, after...us. You know, our thing?"

"Maura! What?"

Maura caught her mistake. "No, no, no, Jane, I just mean that _he _thinks we're together, that we're...'batting for the other team.'"

Jane's face made a "so?" expression as she retorted, "C'mon, Maura. Like _that_ would have stopped him from _gladly _accepting the invitation."

"Jane, no. I did not sleep with Giovanni. That's absolutely out of the question after yesterday."

Jane backed off, taking a couple steps toward her elevator and pressing the button. Jane couldn't resist joking with Maura now. "Oh, right. After 'us,'" Jane smirked.

Maura was flustered, didn't know how she'd respond without letting on that she was executing somewhat of a lie, when the doors opened, and each stepped inside their different elevators.

All Maura could manage was a dismissive smile and gesture of the shoulders as the elevator doors across the hall closed on Jane's smirking stare.

* * *

Jane sat at her desk in the brick, actually hoping no cases rolled in so she could break early for dinner with Maura. _What am I thinking?_ Jane questioned herself, _What's going on here, Rizzoli?_

Jane had to admit, the joking around was kinda fun, and the flustered way that she could get the usually-so-composed Maura to act was kinda cute. Maura may seem all about science and seriousness, what with the googlemouth and inability to joke and all, but Jane knew Maura was really so caring, so sensitive, so soft...

_Pull it together._

Jane couldn't believe herself. She looked at her untouched paperwork. _Have I really been this distracted by this woman? I mean, she's great. Really great. And I love her, I do. But seriously? You're acting like a 13-year-old girl the way you're crushing- _

_Wait. Crushing? I seriously didn't just think that. I mean, she's beautiful, of co-_

"Jane?" Frost's brow was furrowed as he looked concerned at her over his desktop computer. "You okay?"

Jane sat up straight in her chair, set her pencil down that she had been fiercely gripping, and massaged her temples. "Yeah, yeah, Frost. I'm fine."

* * *

Maura sat in her office, doing paperwork unrelated to cases in between bouts of...thinking about Jane. This rush of information was an intellectual flood for Maura. Why hadn't she noticed before what she now noticed in every word Jane spoke? Something was triggered by the thing with Giovanni, but the real question was...what? What had been sitting in wait, and for how long? Maura let out an audible sigh, "Oh, Jane..."

As if summoned, Jane appears in the doorway of Maura's office.

"Hey, Maura." Jane walks in and sits down in that ridiculously uncomfortable chair, leans her head back, and stares at the ceiling.

"Something wrong, Jane?"

"Nah, nothing. It's just been a slow day, you know? All that paperwork is _so_ boring. It's killing me. Wanna break early for the Robber?"

"Sure, let me just finish this last bit of paperwork. I'll meet you there in half an hour?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. See you then," Jane said as she left Maura's office.

Jane walked away from Maura's office with a strange blend of excitement and nervousness in the pit of her stomach, leaving Maura with the same.


	3. Chapter III: Yes

Jane found herself up in the brick again, having just come from Maura's office. She couldn't even retrace how she wound up back at her desk, her thoughts a riddled stream of consciousness. She didn't purposefully return here after leaving Maura. Her feet had unwittingly carried her back in her state of confused oblivion. She didn't want to arrive at the Robber half an hour before Maura, nervously waiting, but all this pacing and uncomfortable shifting in her desk chair wouldn't do either.

Jane rose from her seat and strode to the ladies' room, her stride lacking its usual swagger. She leaned over the sink, turned on the water, and stood, staring at herself in the mirror with a blank expression on her face. When she was sure that the water was sufficiently fresh, she swooped down to splash the cold stream onto her face. The shock brought some clarity back to her hazed mind, and she rose again to look at herself in the mirror, drying her face with a scratchy hand towel.

_Uh...I don't look so good,_ Jane thought to herself. _I guess I didn't get so much sleep last night either..._

Jane finished dabbing her face with the towel and tossed it into the trash. Jane's intense, senseless butterflies had dulled somewhat, and her keep-cool detective instincts began to replace her shocks of emotion. Legitimate, conscious questions now played inside her mind. _What was sparked by the Giovanni situation? Why? Is this an entirely new feeling or one I'm just now coming to grips with? How does Maura feel? Is there some sort of chemistry between me and Maura? Something besides friendship?_

Jane decided, surprisingly coolly, that she was going to use tonight to find out some of the answers.

_I am a detective, after all._

_But I...look like shit, _Jane realized, unnerved for more than one reason at the thought. First, if she's testing out the chemistry between her and Maura, she's gotta look better than this sleepless, carelessly dressed cop she's staring at here. Second, since when has she given a rat's ass about what she looked like?

With another sweep of unconscious movement in which Jane's body halted her mind and hurried her feet, Jane found herself leaving her parking space and heading back to her apartment with a startling sense of purpose. Upon arrival, Jane glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes.

Jane rushed into her apartment and immediately bolted to her bedroom closet. _Alright, alright. I obviously can't be too fancy. I just gotta lose this old T, _Jane thinks as she pulls her ragged t-shirt over her head. She stares, frazzled, into her closet. _Uh..._

_This!_

She grabs her nicest shirt, a royal blue silk dress shirt, and runs into the bathroom. She slides her arms through the sleeves and lets it hang unbuttoned while she runs her fingers quickly through her wild curls, watching herself in the mirror. She even puts on mascara and eyeliner before buttoning the shirt, tucking it into her dress pants, and examining herself.

_Not so bad...at least I showered this morning._

And with that, Jane runs to her car again with six minutes to get to the Robber. For her, uh...date? with Maura. Great.

* * *

Maura glances at the clock as she finishes the last of her paperwork. She has just enough time to check her appearance in the ladies' room, freshen up her makeup, and drive to the Dirty Robber. Maura's preparation is significantly less frantic than Jane's, for, as Jane says, Maura always looks as if she's about to strut down a Paris runway or be featured in a photo shoot.

Maura smiled at the remembrance of those words.

Maura coaches herself in the car. _Okay, it would be unfortunate for it to become evident that I am gathering data to test my hypothesis that Jane and I have a certain chemistry. I must avoid circumstances that will tempt me to lie, quietly acquiring knowledge which will enable me to effectively form my conclusions._

Maura parks and enters the Robber, collected, but with a light sense of nervousness tickling her composure. She spots Jane sitting in their usual booth, looking at her phone and sipping a beer, and her insides flutter. She largely forgets her scientific approach to the evening and only vaguely remembers that she's supposed to be 'gathering data to test her hypothesis.'

She walks towards Jane, her high heeled shoes clicking against the bar's hard floor. Jane looks up and smiles, putting away her phone.

"Hey, Maura."

Maura sits gracefully into the opposite side of the booth, and as she does so, she notices Jane's change of clothes. "Hey Jane," Maura says, smiling, "You look nice; you changed."

Jane wasn't expecting Maura to pick up on that. _Of course she noticed; she's Maura,_ Jane chastised herself. "Uh...yeah. Spilled coffee on my other shirt, so I ran home and changed."

Maura nods and smiles as a waitress approaches, asking Maura if she'd like something to drink. Maura orders one of her usual wines. "Well, Jane, you look lovely."

Jane feels her insides react to the compliment, but she doesn't know what to say. Jane realizes they didn't have a case, and so no easy topic of conversation to resort to. But, she turned the discussion towards work anyways. "Thanks. Finish your paperwork?"

"Yes, but my usual daily work is entirely preferable to such a tedious task."

"You mean, your 'usual daily work' of...cutting up dead people? 'Entirely preferable?' Really?" Jane joked at Maura, sipping her beer with sparkling eyes and a smirking mouth.

Maura smiled, able to catch on to Jane's sarcasm. "Jane, we both know it isn't merely 'cutting up dead people,' but helping you solve murders. Catching bad guys. We're a team."

Jane felt affection towards Maura. They were a team, that was true. And a good one, too. Maura felt affection towards Jane, cataloging the way Jane now looked at her as evidence of a certain chemistry.

Jane broke the silence of the intense stare she realized was uncomfortably affectionate. _Do I always stare at her like that? _"You do great work, Maura. Thorough, helpful. Couldn't solve a lot of cases without you."

Maura blushed slightly, taking in Jane's words, letting them caress and soothe the insecurities she felt under the detective's sometimes domineering confidence and aptitude. "And you, Jane, I've always admired your..." a smile spread playfully across Maura's face, "gumshoe thing."

Jane laughed, understanding Maura's joke, knowing it was a joke, but still feeling somewhat flattered at the words "always admired..." _I mean, this is Maura. Genius Dr. Isles..._

Maura notices the way Jane takes her silly compliment, notices the way, despite its joking nature, it meant something meaningful to Jane. Maura notices other things too, things she had only passively noticed before, like the way Jane's eyes periodically deepened with affection while they conversed, the way Jane's raucous voice stimulated in her an inclination to be flirtatious, the way Jane's unruly hair was somehow an attractive embodiment of her personality... These were all things Maura mentally recorded as evidence of her attraction to Jane, but things that Maura didn't have the ability to scientifically explain. They were just, plain and simple, attractive, drawing Maura closer to Jane, enticing Maura to want more.

And speaking of Jane's unruly hair...

"That's a sign of sexual frustration," Maura says, deadpan, as she observes Jane twirling her hair in her fingers as she gazes across the bar.

Jane stops twirling her hair between her fingers. _Really? Yeah, well, I'm frustrated. _"Or tangled hair, Maur," Jane jokes.

Maura cocks her head to the side and smirks in joking response.

_I swear that woman knows what I'm thinking, _Jane worries as she notices, gratefully, that the waitress is approaching them again. Jane watches Maura order, noticing things about her that were undeniably attractive. _It's unfair, really, _Jane thinks as she observes Maura's thick, lush hair and the way it falls down her shoulders, the way Maura's innocent expressions radiate a beautiful kindness, the way her skin covers perfectly smoothly that impossibly full and gorgeous bod-

"Jane?"

Jane's snapped out of her embarrassingly sensual thoughts. _About Maura._

"Your order?"

"Um..." Jane feels both embarrassed and trapped in a haze of thought.

Maura notices, coming to her aid. "Didn't you say you wanted a burger, earlier?"

"Oh, yeah. Just the house burger. With fries. Thanks."

The waitress nods, jots the note down on her pad, and walks away, carrying their menus. Maura isn't sure how to react to Jane's obvious withdrawal into reverie. _Reverie concerning...what? _Maura pondered.

"So," Jane said matter-of-factly, as if she was beginning a serious topic. But she said nothing else.

Maura wondered if she should attempt to answer some of her questions, attempt to draw out information from Jane, quiet some of her own deafening wondering. _If only I knew how..._

"You're right," Jane said, not knowing how else to continue her "so." _Damn it. I had successfully found my way out of this corner. Why am I throwing myself under the bus here?_

"Right about what, Jane?"

Jane had no choice but to go on, "I'm frustrated. Antsy."

Maura mustered a look of pure, untainted sympathy, though she felt deeply sinister.

Jane rolled her eyes, mostly at herself. _Why did I think_ _Maura would react any other way than drowning me in the sympathy of those freaking puppy dog eyes?_ "Look, Maura, it isn't the end of the world. I'll live. But you're my best friend and God knows I can't hide anything from you anyways."

"I _am _quite perceptive," Maura teases, fairly confident now that she'll be able to draw out the information from Jane that she's looking for.

Jane smiles, trying not to look uncomfortable. _Is she messing with me? What can she 'perceive'? _Jane thinks frantically. _I should have known not to fall for the..."sexual frustration" trap._

"For instance," Maura continues, "I perceive now that there is something you're not telling me." Maura takes a slow drink of her wine, looking at Jane with a mischievous glint in her sparkling eyes, a glint that appears when Maura knows she has the upper hand in their witty repartee, and then sets her glass somewhat firmly on the table and stares seriously at Jane, as if to say, 'hit me. I'm waiting.'

Jane is sure she looks like a deer in the headlights.

"What is it, Jane?" Maura asks as she reaches across the table to comfortingly hold Jane's hands. "Just tell me, Jane. I know something is on your mind."

Jane is entirely at a loss, and the soft, reassuring feelings of Maura's hands is not helping. "Nothing, Maura, really. I'm fine. I'm just not as comfortable with talking about my sex life, or lack thereof, as you are."

"Jane. Sexual frustration is nothing to be ashamed of," Maura says consolingly, still holding on to Jane's hands, "We all experience it." With that, Maura releases Jane's hands and leans back into her side of the booth. She continues, "You told me yesterday that you think _I_ could get anyone. Well, I think the same about you."

Jane is pretty sure her heart stopped. There is _no_ way that that is true. Her face must betray her surprise, because Maura starts up again.

"Really, Jane! You too are gorgeous, and I'm surprised every man and half the women aren't falling at your feet."

Jane can't help but laugh, and she doesn't feel as uncomfortable anymore. "Half the women? Really, Maur?"

"What? I mean, even as beautiful as you are, you can't expect _all_ the women to forsake their sexuality-"

"Maura!"

"-but I'm sure many would fall for you," Maura finishes, with a knowing smile.

Jane senses her opportunity to finally take the reins, and she is not going to pass it up. She leans back in her chair, smirks, and playfully jests at Maura, "Something you're trying to tell me, Maur?"

Maura realizes that Jane has turned the tables. _Darn. My data collection was proceeding so perfectly in my favor._ Maura struggles to formulate an acceptable response, knowing she'll break out into hives if she even attempts to lie.

Maura decides to bite the bullet. "Yes."


	4. Chapter IV: Paralyzation

Jane stops midway through taking a swig of her beer; halting the bottle at her lips, her eyes widen in shock as she stares at Maura. _Did she just say yes?_

Oddly, upon confessing, Maura's nervousness leaves her. Her straightforward honesty returns as she shrugs at Jane, "Well, Jane, we do exhibit noticeable signs of mutual attraction."

Jane's beer remains at her lips, her right eyebrow slowly rising.

"Jane, what? Haven't you noticed?" Maura takes an innocent sip from her wine and speaks in a tone that might accompany a casual conversation about the weather. She smiles and nods a thanks at the waitress returning with their food, as if nothing out of the usual is occurring.

Jane slowly lowers her beer to the table as her burger is placed in front of her. She couldn't place what she was feeling. Was she...ecstatic to know that Maura felt attracted to her in return? Confused about how to answer, what to do? Scared as hell as to what this might mean? She felt...all of those things. Definitely all of them. Jane runs both hands through her hair and stares at a place on the wall behind Maura. "Uh..."

Maura waits for the waitress to walk away before she tries asking again, sensitive to the fact that Jane must be uncomfortable. "Have you?"

"Um, have I..." Jane trailed off.

"Noticed."

"Riiight...um..." Jane picks up her burger with both hands and takes a bite, buying her some time before she has to answer. _What the hell am I supposed to say? "Why, yes, Maura, I have. And I've been distracted about it all day. You're too gorgeous. My place or yours?" C'mon! _She swallowed her bite of burger after what seemed like forever to Maura and, deciding they might as well have an open conversation about it now that it's on the table, answers, "Yeah...yeah, I guess I have." She takes another bite of burger, staring at it like it's a case file and refusing to look Maura in the eye.

"It's nothing to be alarmed about, Jane. Studies have shown that about half of women have experienced some type of same-sex attraction in their lifetime."

_But I love you, Maura. Love. It's beyond attraction. _Jane feels entirely compelled to reveal her honest thoughts. She's never been one to beat around the bush. She just, in a word, can't. But she feels a little more at ease now, seeing how comfortable Maura is with the situation. And she doesn't want to change the discussion topic. "Right, yeah...um, I figured it was a pretty natural thing. Especially since you're my best friend. I don't get why it has suddenly surfaced though. I mean it's passive, natural," Jane talks as if she's thinking out loud about a case, "Why bother dissecting it?"

Maura contemplates the words. "Well, I've actually considered bringing it up a number of times. But, I suspect the situation with Giovanni yesterday is what prompted this discussion."

Jane gestures with a fry, "Yeah, I guess you're right..."

An awkward silence settles.

Jane's gut turns over with the presence of questions, questions she wants to ask but doesn't know how. She raises her head and looks at Maura, making it clear that she wants to say something but not yet speaking. Maura waits patiently. Jane cocks her head to the side, closes her eyes, massages the bridge of her nose, and takes a deep, calming breath. She opens her mouth, ready to speak, eyes still closed. "...how long?" she asks, with a small shake of her head.

"How long, what, Jane?"

Jane opens her eyes, drops her hand from her face, and leans back into the booth with her beer. "How long have you 'been considering' bringing this up? How long have you felt this way about me? C'mon, Maura, we know it's more than just physical. We've been through too much together."

Maura wasn't expecting this, wasn't expecting the emotions Jane, usually so private, had now let surface. She had been expecting Jane to shrug off the attraction to natural, letting Maura's science take over as she had begun to do. Maura was both scared and exhilarated by the way this conversation was going. On the one hand, she wanted this to happen, wanted to be entirely and emotionally honest. On the other hand, it is easier to treat such a situation with nonchalance. _Or, is it? Is it really easier to lock away feelings?_

"Maura?"

"Oh. Uh, sorry. Just thinking."

"I don't need an answer down to the second, Maura. Just tell me. How long?"

The slight comic relief was appreciated. Both women smiled.

"I don't know, Jane. Since we've become close, I've been dimly aware of feelings for you."

Jane's head angled downward and her eyes held a distant gaze. She was nodding slightly.

"What are you thinking, Jane?"

_What AM I thinking? _"I'm thinking..." Jane looked up at Maura, both eyebrows raised, "I'm thinking I love you, Dr. Maura Isles."

Maura blushed and smiled and her stomach contracted. "I love you back, detective Jane Rizzoli."

Jane smiled distantly and chuckled, one short, crisp, shoulder hop of a barely audible dear-god-what-am-I-doing chuckle. "Then, what happens now?"

The question gave them both pause – they had been subconsciously in fear of it.

Maura smiles at Jane, that same smile that has always warmed Jane's heart, now with a loving trace of something more, and says, "We enjoy our meal together like the badass best-friend-crime-fighting team that we are!"

Jane laughed, genuinely, running her hands through her hair with relief before gratefully returning to her burger. _Yep. That's Maura. _"We'll just...relax? See what happens?"

"Exactly. We're best friends, Jane. If you need to speak, speak; if you want to do, do. I'll be here."

Jane's smile toward Maura is brimming with love. "Thanks, Maur."

* * *

The remainder of the dinner proved to be pleasant and comfortable, assuring both women that their friendship remained intact. What may have been awkward between them was just an added dimension to their relationship, and, though they didn't directly bring it up again over the course of the dinner, the added dimension was there, sensed, and indulged. There had been laughing and talking just as any other night at the Robber, but an extra layer of intimacy bound the two together.

_Thank god, _thought Jane.

_What a relief,_ thought Maura.

Maura paid the bill when Jane was in the bathroom, smiling to herself. When Jane returned and began fishing for her wallet, Maura reached out to lay her hand over Jane's forearms and halted her search. "I paid," she said.

"Maura! Nah, that's too sweet. C'mon, let me pay you back."

"No, of course not! My treat." Maura said as she prepared to leave, standing and grabbing her purse.

"Maura, I can't let you do that."

"Sure you can. Think of is as...our first date." Maura winked playfully at Jane.

A part of Jane's insides went...wiggly. _I've got it bad._ "Well, that was fast," she joked, "and reversed. I would definitely be the guy, and he's supposed to pay."

"I've told you before, that's a cliché! Besides, no guys here. We're both women."

"Oh, really, Maur? I forgot." Jane smirked and rolled her eyes, but then laid her hand on Maura's shoulder and thanked her. She re-arranged her jacket and patted her pockets to make sure she had everything. _Phone, wallet, gun-_

"Keys?"

"What?" Jane looks up at Maura, surprised. _She can READ my thoughts._

"I noticed you patting your pockets and I wanted to make sure you had your keys before I left."

"Yeah, right here," Jane says as she pulls her keys out of her pocket and walks to the door. She holds it open for Maura.

It was dusk, but not dark. The two women lingered a few feet outside the door, both wanting and holding back.

"So..." Jane managed, standing in place while rolling back on her heels, "I'll call ya later?"

"You could come over for a drink," Maura said, biting her lip.

"That sounds..." _Heavenly. Yes, please. _"lovely, Maura. But, I should actually get home. You know...paperwork, Jo Friday."

"Sure, I understand. Next time," Maura tried not to sound too disappointed.

"You mean..." Jane smirked, jesting at Maura, "after our second date?"

Maura gave Jane a suggestive smile and held her gaze, stepping toward Jane so that their bodies were almost touching.

_What. Is she doing? God, those bedroom eyes._

Jane was slightly taller than Maura, even with Maura's heels. Maura's face was inches from Jane's. It made Jane feel weak. _Don't do it, Rizzoli. Don't kiss her._

Maura knew. "If you want to, do, Jane."

_She CAN read my thoughts! _Maura's invitation pumped wildly through Jane's veins, quickening Jane's pulse. Keeping their bodies separated, maintaining this distance between them, felt impossible. The force of the pull, almost magnetic, was too strong. Maura was too close. Jane wanted to resist, but she felt herself losing the struggle, giving into the pull, with the tension of the reluctant but willing leaning in unbearable. Until it shattered.

Their lips met.

Jane's head spun. Maura's heart stopped. Their lips pressed together, staying, screaming and whispering, torturous and healing, maddening and satisfying, all at once. Jane felt submerged in emotion, her abdomen tensing and going liquid simultaneously. Maura felt tears being sucked toward her eyes, happy and emotional tears. The contact of their lips, this kiss, was something more intimate than they had ever shared.

And then, the press of their lips pushed their mouths apart. But that first kiss lingered, hovering in the air between their mouths like an invisible chord that prevented them from pulling away. Their lips remained only millimeters apart. Breathing was heavy. Stomachs were churning. And then Maura reached up, taking Jane's face in her hands, cradling Jane's jaw with her little fingers, brushing Jane's cheekbones with her thumbs, and kissed her again, softly and sweetly, gently and lovingly, again and again.

Repeated kisses passed between them. A soft sigh escaped Maura when Jane stepped forward, placed her body between Maura's raised arms, and reached one hesitant hand up to Maura's cheek. But when Maura's lips parted...

Jane pulled away.

Maura looked at Jane, still cradling Jane's jaw in both hands. Maura felt the tension that had been lost to the fluidity of their kiss return, but she smiled. She understood Jane's reluctance. It was okay. She leaned in to give Jane another kiss, and then let her hands drop to grab Jane's fingers. Jane looked at Maura, stared into those deep eyes. Maura squeezed Jane's hands and whispered, "Yes, call me later."

Jane nodded slightly. Maura placed one last kiss on Jane's cheek, and, with one more squeeze of Jane's fingers, Maura let go and walked to her car, giving Jane one more loving smile before getting in and leaving Jane where she stood.

Jane let her eyes flutter closed and moved not at all except for to raise her hand, threading it through her thick hair and letting it rest atop her head.

Frozen. She was frozen.

Frozen, part from letting the feel of Maura's emotional kiss linger on her lips and cheek, part from melting into the impossibly velvety feeling of affection flooding her stomach, and part from paralyzation – fear and desire and love had seized her every nerve.


	5. Chapter V: I Told Her I'd Call

Maura drove home, settling in to contemplation. It took her several minutes to come off of the adrenaline high and be able to keenly assess what had just occurred. Maura thought through everything that had happened at the Dirty Robber. Jane and her had been talking, with an obvious subconscious clinging to the jokes surrounding the situation with Giovanni and their "romance," suggesting that both parties desired to keep that conversational topic surfaced. She had brought up their mutual attraction and Jane had mentioned their emotional closeness. It had been concluded that the said physical and emotional attractions were reciprocally felt. They had retired the topic on good terms. Dinner went well. She paid. First date. And then...

Jane kissed her.

_Jane_ had kissed _her. _Maura had invited Jane to do so, but Jane had acted. Jane had _wanted _to. The knowledge of that made Maura's stomach twist in uncomfortable, bubbling ways that made her straighten her posture and shift in her seat as she drove, attempting to appease the butterflies inside her.

She actively desired Jane now, aggressively wanted their relationship to go farther than friendship. Jane's affection was such a precious rarity; Maura wanted every drop of it. Holding Jane's jaw, intimately feeling the angles of Jane's facial bones, and pressing kisses onto Jane's lips which harbored such emotion, Maura could feel the complexity of Jane's person. And what a beautiful complexity it was!

That kiss, something about the intimacy of it, something about the mutual emotion of it, the long-hidden affection being brought to the fore, unleashed in Maura a feeling of eagerness compelled by intensity too extreme to suppress.

Maura desired now to reveal to Jane how deeply she admired her, how endearing her balance of toughness and sensitivity was, how admirable her impressive intelligence and diligence were, how enticing her physical beauty was. In view of this complex blend of qualities, in view of the exterior toughness and impressive aptitude, receiving such a sincere kiss from Jane was the most satisfying endearment Maura had ever received. _I love you, Jane Rizzoli. _Maura wanted to prove to Jane that loving detective Jane Rizzoli was a cause worth fighting for, even if difficult at times. Despite Jane's occasional defensive abuse and subtle insecurities, Maura was willing to go great lengths to assure Jane of her admiration and love, if only Jane would let her.

* * *

By the time Maura had driven home, Jane was still sitting in her car at the Robber, processing what had just happened. She sat, leaned all the way back in her seat, eyes focused straight ahead but on nothing in particular, gaze blank but thoughts abuzz, absent-mindedly twirling the tips of her curly hair with her left hand.

_"I'm thinking I love you, Dr. Maura Isles..." _

_"I love you back, detective Jane Rizzoli."_

Those words played again and again in Jane's mind, echoing into the memories of the evening, particularly...

That kiss.

_Oh. My god. _That _kiss. _Jane couldn't remember the last time she had experienced something so overwhelmingly affectionate, so passionate, so impossibly arousing and consuming, so capable of shutting down any sarcastic remarks Jane could usually so aptly make about affection, passion, and arousal.

Jane felt simultaneously reluctant and impatient. She was cautiously hesitant but also lustfully desirous. She wanted to delicately hold Maura's loveliness as well as lustfully pursue her sexiness. An infinite array of emotions and desires had been expressed in that kiss. It said "yes" to their relationship. It said "no" to their relationship. It said "I don't know" to their relationship. It said "do." It said "don't." It said "please" and "no, thank you." It said "wait." It said "now." It said "I want you." It said "I need you." But, most of all, above everything else, in a way Jane had never experienced and couldn't begin to fathom, it said "I love you."

_"I'm thinking I love you, Dr. Maura Isles..."_

_"I love you back, detective Jane Rizzoli."_

* * *

It was 10:22 pm.

Jane sat on her couch, slumped into the cushions. No beer. No TV. Nothing took her attention away from her swimming thoughts, aching stomach, and the phone she was twirling in her hand. If she had been aware of the way Maura had been pacing throughout her house all evening, she would have called sooner.

_I told her I'd call, _Jane thinks as she finds Maura's name on her list of contacts and places the call. _It's not that I don't want to call..._ Jane thinks to herself as the first ring sounds through the line. _It's just that this is all so...I don't know. _

Maura had been distracting herself by feeding Bass, waiting for the promised call from Jane. She stands straight up immediately after hearing the first ring. She had seen the caller was Jane and picked up her cellphone before the second ring had even sounded, about to answer the call, when she realized her eagerness. She takes a deep breath and waits for the second ring to end before she calmly answers.

"Hello, Jane."

"Hey, Maura." _What are we supposed to talk about?_

Maura realized that even though Jane had called her, she was going to have to begin the conversation. "I had been expecting your call a bit earlier, but you've actually timed it perfectly. I just finished feeding Bass," Maura casually began.

"Uh, great... So you're done for evening?"

"Yes. And I even caught up on some things to free myself up for tomorrow night. I was hoping you would be available to come over after work for some dinner and drinks."

_She's on top of it..._ "Uh, yeah. Sure, Maura. That would be nice."

Maura bit her lip, wanting to bring "them," up, wanting to see where that would lead, but not knowing how to proceed without seeming awkward or too eager. Finally, she managed somewhat of a joke, though she spoke seriously, "I thought instead of waiting until after our second date to invite you for drinks at my place, I'd just make it our second date with the addition of dinner."

Jane was glad Maura had been the one to bring it up. She played it cool, "Of course, Maura...but it's not like we aren't at each other's houses all the time for dinner and drinks."

A knowing smile spread across Maura's face, and Jane could almost hear it over the phone. "True, but this dinner will be different."

Jane felt pleasantly uncomfortable. "Uh...how so?"

"You'll see."

"Maura, you know I'm not into that romancy stuff!"

That calm braveness that had first shown itself earlier at the Robber once again overtook Maura, and she stated simply, "Oh, come now, Jane. After that kiss, you _will_ be indulging me in 'romancy stuff.' Wear something nice."

_Unnnhhhh. Did she HAVE to bring up that kiss? That irresistibly beautiful and arousing-_

"Please?"

_Oh yeah it's my turn to say something. _"Sorry, Maura, I was just, uh, thinking about...uh..."

"The kiss."

_Okay. It's official. That woman is a psychic. _"No! I mean, yes. Okay, I was. But, I mean..."

"Jane, it's okay. I've been thinking about it, too."

"Well, Maura, it was..."

"Wonderful."

Jane's whole body was flooded with tickling weakness and she shriveled up into a ball on her couch. "Okay. Fine. Yes. It was amazing."

Maura felt warmth spread through her body, hardly being able to calmly anticipate tomorrow evening, wishing Jane was with her, here, now-

"Maura?" Jane felt embarrassed of her last words.

"Oh, sorry, Jane. I'm merely thrilled."

Jane laughed, uncomfortableness replaced with pure affection. And that's why she loved Maura. "Merely thrilled, Maura, really?"

"You're right, that word choice was flawed. Exceptionally thrilled. Ecstatic, really."

Jane laughed again, "Don't change, Maur."

Maura smiled. She loved Jane's compliments, her expressions of endearment. She couldn't wait for tomorrow night. Her excitement got the better of her. Before she even knew what she was saying, she was saying it. "Will you kiss me again?"

Jane was surprised, and her throat seized up while her stomach turned over with a warmth that shot down her thighs. But that, that direct obliviousness, was the Maura that she didn't want to change. She was overwhelmed and softened by a love for Maura, and she felt no awkwardness about telling that beautiful, outstanding woman, "Yes. I would love that."

Relieved that the slip of her eagerness hadn't ruined anything and positively floating with the promise of the loving remark, Maura brought them both back down to earth with the command, "Well, then, wear something nice."

Both women laughed and Jane consented, "Okay, Maura. I guess I can. It is a date, after all."

Each could hear the smiles of the other as they lingered over the telephone line. Maura's heart beat so heavily as she concluded the conversation, "Yes, it's a date. I'm so looking forward to seeing you."

"Same."

"Goodnight, Jane. See you tomorrow."

"Night, Maura."

The two women hung up their phones, smiling at the screens for a good and long wave of giddiness while they processed their satisfaction. And, somehow known to the other, each of them whispered:

"I love you, Maura."

"I love you back, Jane."


	6. Chapter VI: The Date

Work the next day was unbearable for both Maura and Jane. At first, Maura had been glad that there was no current case to take Jane's time and energies away from their current relationship, but, now, she realized she would have been very grateful for the distraction. Maura couldn't focus on the tediousness of her paperwork. She hadn't slept well last night, eagerly anticipating the romantic dinner that was scheduled for tonight, and contemplating with hopefulness what may also be in store...

Jane was also finding it difficult to concentrate on her day. The slow, caseless days were what she liked least about her job anyways. It was difficult to endure the boredom of paperwork on normal days, let alone today, when her thoughts were fixated on the gorgeousness and hesitance of her current romantic relationship, wondering what in the world she was doing but also more than ready to proceed with whatever that was...

By an unspoken, mutual understanding, the two women kept their distance throughout the work day, as if afraid the temptation to resume their physical affections would be too strong. They met only once toward the end to awkwardly confirm plans for that evening. There was obvious tension, this being the first meeting since their kiss.

Jane walked into Maura's office, shutting the door behind her. Maura immediately stopped typing, swiveled her chair to face Jane, and smiled wide with her hands in her lap. The look of pure affection in Maura's eyes begot the same expression in Jane's as she realized how she adored Maura's adorableness. Jane laughed at Maura and smiled as she leaned against the side of Maura's desk.

"So, uh, hey...we still on for tonight?" Jane awkwardly asked.

"Of course!" Maura responded, with extreme enthusiasm.

"Alright. What time should I show up?"

"Seven. Dinner," Maura winked, "will be at seven."

Jane chuckled once again at the adorable Maura, simply smiling while she stared at Maura's beautiful, cheerful features. Yeah, there was no doubt about it. She loved this woman.

Maura noticed Jane's admiring stare, and she rose from her chair, settling shoulder to shoulder with Jane, leaning somewhat against the desk, but mostly against the detective.

While Jane enjoyed the display of affection, she quickly glanced up to ensure the door was still shut, afraid this was too obvious an affectionate gesture to be seen by public eyes. Maura noticed.

"Don't worry, Jane. Tonight, we won't have to be worried about our privacy."

Somehow this made Jane uncomfortable. Maybe it was the realizing how badly she wanted privacy with Maura that got to her. Jane's uncomfortableness was also noticed by Maura.

"What's the matter, Jane?"

Jane subconsciously ran her fingers through her hair, scrambling for what to say. She hadn't expected to have this conversation when she left her desk simply to confirm dinner plans with Maura. "I dunno, Maur. I guess I'm a little nervous. Should we talk about...what..._this_ is? You know, what..._we_ are?"

Maura seemed unfazed, as if she had all along been expecting this conversation. "I think that would be appropriate, yes. Sounds like a discussion matter for our second date, don't you think?"

"Uh, yeah. Okay, yeah, I guess that works."

Maura leaned her face closer to Jane's shoulder and, after glancing up to check the door and blinds, quickly kissed Jane's cheek. She gave Jane's arm a loving squeeze and walked back to her desk chair.

Jane bit her bottom lip while trying to restrain the school-girl smile that threatened to cover her face from ear to ear. "So...see you tonight?"

"At seven. Don't forget to wear something nice," Maura said while settling back into her work on the computer.

"Oh, yeah..."

"You promised."

Jane rolled her eyes and laughed. "Fine. I'll try to pick something suitable," she said sarcastically as she slowly swaggered back to the door. She opened it, halfway stepped out into the hall, and looked back at Maura one last time. She was smiling to herself as she typed away.

Maura noticed Jane's gaze, looked up from her computer, and said, "Don't worry, you'll look gorgeous."

Jane was surprised, but flattered. But, she had never been able to gracefully accept compliments, so she just rolled her eyes again and smiled. "Thanks," she said, leaving Maura's office and walking away. Her nonchalance wasn't convincing, though. Compliments from Maura actually did mean something to the detective.

* * *

Jane had driven straight home. Finally done with work, Jane's nerves were going crazy. She felt girlish excitement and intense nervousness, which worked her stomach into such churning tensions and sensitivities that she couldn't stand still. Once in her apartment, she immediately set to work on herself. After all, she had promised Maura that she would wear "something nice."

Jane put on a fitted, black, V-neck dress and stared at herself in the mirror, feeling far too fancy for a simple venture to her best friend's house...

_But it's a date, Rizzoli. A date. _

A wave of anxiety flooded her at the thought. A _second _date. It felt so rushed. Hadn't she just realized she had feelings for Maura, like, two days ago? But, at the same time, it felt like it was _finally _happening, and Jane didn't know why. Maybe something really had been brewing underneath the surface for all these years. Maybe all along this relationship was just waiting to happen. Jane had to admit, Maura was attractive enough in every way – intellectually, emotionally, and, yeah, physically too. But Jane couldn't think about that too much. It did funny things to her stomach. So, she turned and hurried from the mirror to put on some makeup and shoes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Maura worked away on preparing the meal. Wanting for it to be romantic, but thinking it best to keep it familiar since she was feeding Jane Rizzoli, after all, whose favorite meal was probably a beer, burger, and fries, she decided upon a fancy but not so extravagant meal. No beer, burger, or fries. But, wine, delicious pasta, and fresh garlic bread. Oh, and crème brûlée for dessert.

Maura smiled to herself as she spread out her hand-embroidered tablecloth and laid down cloth napkins and her finest plates, glasses, and cutlery. Oh, and candles.

She was pleased with the intimate scene laid out before her, and she chuckled as she pictured Jane in this romantic scene, knowing this type of romance was not something Jane was prone to indulge in.

_But I think...hope...that she'll enjoy tonight, _Maura thought to herself.

Having laid everything out regarding the meal, Maura made a quick sweep around her house to make sure everything was neat and tidy. She paid particular attention to her bedroom, though she didn't admit to herself why.

She had put on a blue dress and freshened up her hair and makeup. She looked her best. Dinner was ready. The house was tidy. But, even upon completing her preparations, Maura couldn't remain still. She paced throughout the house, adjusting a coaster simply for the sake of adjustment, stroking Bass' shell just for something to occupy her hands, going through the kitchen again to make sure all the dishes of the meal were there, impatiently waiting for Jane to arrive. Maura looked at the clock.

7:02.

_She should be here any second..._

And then, there was the doorbell.

Maura tensed, briefly felt excited denial shoot through her as if she couldn't believe what was happening, did one last sweep of the room with her eyes, took a deep breath, and then walked calmly do the door.

Maura opened the door, and there was Jane. A breathtaking Jane. A five-foot-nine-plus-high-heels Jane. In a gorgeous, fitted black dress that showed off her slender form, there was Jane... _Oh my god, she's attractive, _Maura couldn't help thinking as she stared at her guest.

Jane noticed Maura staring. She couldn't help but be somewhat pleased. "Hey, earth to Maura. Can I come in?" Jane joked, after standing in awkward silence for a few moments on Maura's doorstep.

"Oh, oh, sorry. Of course," Maura stammered as she opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Please come in. I was just admiring...your dress."

"Oh, good. So I picked a suitable outfit for dinner tonight, then?" Jane remarked sarcastically, and playfully, knowing that, truth be told, Maura was admiring more than her outfit.

"Yes. I mean, Jane... Yes," Maura managed, finally just deciding to approvingly nod her head. And then, it slipped out. "I mean, you don't look gorgeous; you look stunning. I find myself very attracted to you."

Jane snapped to attention, "W-wait, what, really?"

Maura chuckled, "Yes! You look sexy."

"Well, um, you look really nice too, Maur." _C'mon, Rizzoli. She looks nice? No, she looks hot. Really hot._

Maura smiled knowingly, "Thank you," she said as she turned to lead Jane to where they would be dining.

Jane was nervously looking down and tugging at her dress as she followed Maura's feet, and when she looked up and saw the table set for dinner, she stopped in her tracks and covered her gasp with her hand.

"Oh my god, Maura!"

Jane hadn't _ever _had a date, much less merely a _second_ date, prepare something as romantic as what she now saw on Maura's dining room table. The table was set for two, an intimate two. A bottle of wine sat between the two placements, along with several candles. The lights were dimmed. Something smelled delicious. Jane admittedly wasn't the mushy-romance type. But this? This wasn't mushy. This was hard work and love on the part of her best friend, and she truly appreciated it.

Jane repeated her exclamation, "God, Maura, this is fantastic."

Maura beamed.

"Really, Maur, this was a lot of work. You didn't have to do this... Now I see why you wanted me to wear something nice," Jane joked a little, smiling, to prompt a response from Maura.

"Well, I wanted the evening to be special," Maura said, as if it was the simplest fact in the world.

Jane didn't know what to do but stare at the table before her. This was no ordinary dinner with Maura, obviously. This was romantic-date-night dinner with Maura, and Jane's feelings about that were quite conflicted. On the one hand, she felt entirely in love with her best friend and so happy to be here. On the other hand, she couldn't help but ask where this was all coming from so suddenly and why it seemed so natural for them to continue. How far would this night go? How far would this relationship go?

Maura's voice disrupted Jane's thoughts, "Make yourself comfortable, Jane. Here, sit. And I'll pour you a glass of wine."

Jane obeyed, sitting down at one of the beautifully set table placements and smiling at Maura as her win was poured. "Thank you, Maura," Jane said, her voice brimming with affection.

"You're welcome, Jane. Just one moment and I'll have dinner out," Maura said as she set the wine bottle back down on the table and turned to the kitchen.

"Maura, really, you didn't have to do this. This is too nice," Jane said, picking up her wine glass.

Maura stopped walking toward the kitchen and slowly turned around, biting her lip. When she was facing Jane, she looked up and said, "Jane...yes I did. I've wanted to do this for a long time."

Jane was both surprised and totally unsurprised. She understood. Somewhere, deep down, she had wanted to do this for a long time too. But, hearing Maura voice it was unexpected. All Jane could manage in response was a quiet, "Yeah...me too..."

Maura looked at Jane with love in her eyes, saying simply, "We admitted an attraction to one another, correct? And we decided to just see what happened? Well, this feels entirely natural to me and I like pursuing it. I want it, and I'm going with it."

Jane's reaction to those words was heavily emotional. She leaned forward in her seat and held her hand on her forehead. She lingered in that position for a moment and then, with a new air about her, as if she had decided something, leaned convictedly back in her chair, nodded, and said, "I love you, Maur. I'm in."

Maura grinned enormously and spun around, continuing to her kitchen, "I'll get dinner!"


	7. Chapter VII: Keeping Her Word

The two women enjoyed every moment of their meal together. Jane had thought it was delicious, and told Maura so with almost every bite she took. Maura had been thoroughly pleased, and the meal had elapsed with their usual playful banter, though increasingly there was a flirtatiousness to their manner. Jane and Maura sat now, plates cleared and leaning back in their chairs, with their wine glasses in hand, talking.

"Thanks for dinner, Maura. It was amazing." Jane found herself admiring more than Maura's dinner over the course of the evening, staring at parts of Maura she knew she should be embarrassed to enjoy. But she wasn't embarrassed.

"Thanks for indulging me. I should consider myself lucky, getting to take _Detective Jane_ _Rizzoli_ on a date," Maura said playfully back.

The two women stared at each other with slight smiles for a few seconds before Jane thoughtfully asked, "Hey, Maura? Does this feel...normal...to you? I mean, I feel like this is totally new. Like, a lot of what I'm feeling is new. But this whole situation also feels totally natural. Like...not new."

The two women shared a hearty laugh at Jane's inability to eloquently articulate her thoughts before Maura smiled knowingly and simply stated, "Ditto."

Jane set her wine down, leaned forward, and rested her elbows on the table. She held her forehead in her hands and sighed heavily. "Are you sure we can we pursue this?"

A few seconds of silence elapsed before Maura said soothingly, "Why couldn't we?"

Jane rubbed her forehead, obviously with some distress, "Because we're us! I mean, two women! With...fairly prestigious careers. Can we really have a relationship like this?"

Maura took a sip of her wine before setting it down and settling into the serious conversation she was about to have with Jane. "Jane, I think it would be wise to keep it low key, just as with any romantic relationship with a workmate. I don't think we should flaunt our relationship, but I don't think we should hide it either. We can keep it balanced and respectable. We can have a relationship together while still remaining professional."

Jane lifted her head from her hands and slid her arm across the table to hold one of Maura's hands in hers. She squeezed it. "Okay, I suppose you're right about that. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, and people will have to accept that. Now...what about us? As individuals. As a…well, let's be honest, as a prospective couple. Are we ready for this?"

Maura squeezed Jane's hand back. "I am. Are you?"

Jane felt as if she might cry, which was unusual for her. Emotions didn't often overtake her as they did now. "I don't know...I mean, I wanna be. I want to be okay with this. But I don't know if I'm ready for _any_ relationship, much less this one. I don't know, Maura, I'm not that easy to get along with in an intimate...a romantic...relationship, and I don't know if I can put that strain on us. I love you so much and you're my best friend and I don't want to lose you."

Maura put her second hand on Jane's, massaging Jane's hand lovingly while she spoke calmly and with reassurance, "Jane, we already put up with each other. I put up with you as much as you put up with me. We have our quirks. But everyone does. And we've remained very close friends through even the most difficult of circumstances. If anything, our status as friends actually makes us more qualified to take on a romantic relationship, because we have a solid base that cannot be uprooted."

Jane felt immensely comforted by those words, and she knew Maura was right. If there was anyone she had a chance of romantic success with, it was Maura. Jane felt so sure of that now.

Jane let out a loud sigh. "You're right."

Maura smiled and released Jane's hands. She stood and grabbed the plates to clear the table. Jane followed her to the kitchen and leaned against the island, slowly and thoughtfully sipping her wine. She watched as Maura moved gracefully to the sink, looked intently at the way Maura's golden hair fell beautifully down her back, the way her hips moved so enticingly in her dress. She felt herself being attracted to Maura, remembering how it felt to kiss her, wanting to do so again.

Maura had rinsed the dishes off and turned around to lean against the opposite end of the counter with her wine, looking at Jane with eyes so full of love and lust that Jane shuddered.

"Maura!" Jane squealed, positive Maura knew what she was doing to her with that gaze.

"What, Jane?" Maura asked with feigned innocence, a smirk playfully adorning her lips.

"C'mon, Maura, what do you mean, 'what?' Why are you looking at me like that?"

Maura sets her wine down on the counter, laughing at Jane. "Like what, Jane?"

Jane sounds exasperated as she makes exaggerated gestures with her wine glass, "Like _that!_ With those...eyes. And that smile! I don't know, like you're about to tell me you won the lottery or something!"

Maura looks at Jane in a way that makes Jane feel silly, teasing, "You mean my usual gaze of affection?"

Jane can't help the way her lower stomach feels fluid at the words, but she plays it off, rebutting sarcastically, "Oh, right. Your 'usual gaze of affection.' Just how did THAT get by me?" Jane rolls her eyes and takes a drink of her wine.

Maura smiles, knowing certainly now that Jane had noticed her flirtatious stare. Maura continues the stare, using it to unashamedly take Jane in. She loved the way Jane was slightly flushed from the wine (and possibly other feelings, Maura noted), bringing a vibrancy to Jane's face that made her look even more beautiful. She loved the way Jane's dress accentuated all the appropriate places. Or, may _in_appropriate places. Maura smiled to herself at the joke her thoughts had made. She looked down at Jane's hands, remembering how that quick touch those fingers had made across her cheek had felt, remembering how wonderful Jane's kiss was.

Maura leaves her wine behind as she steps around the curve of the countertop to where Jane was standing. Jane externally ignores the obvious advance, but the awkward swig she takes of her wine makes it clear that she notices Maura's presence. _What's she doing? Oh, c'mon, detective Rizzoli, you know full well what she's doing..._

Jane's body tenses when Maura reaches up to her wrist and guides her arm to set the glass of wine down. "Relax, Jane. And talk to me. I can tell you're tense. What's the matter?"

Jane turns to face Maura, leaning to rest her side and elbow against the counter. "Nothing," Jane shrugs innocently.

Maura wraps her hand around Jane's free arm which hangs loosely and takes one slow step forward so that their bodies are nearly touching. Jane feels the way her breathing strains to quicken, but she controls it, keeping it steady. Maura looks up at Jane with an impossibly enticing combination of pure affection and seductiveness.

"In that case," Maura speaks softly, soothingly, placing her other hand on Jane's hip, "do you want to stay?"

The feeling of both Maura's hands on her makes Jane's muscles tense again, and a light current shoots down her body. _God, yes, I want to..._ "Uh...you mean 'stay,' like..." Jane stares at Maura, unable to complete her question.

"Yes," Maura says simply, shifting her weight so that her right thigh comes into contact with Jane's hip, where her hand still rested. Warmth pools between Jane's legs at the contact. Her eyes flutter closed for a second, and then she pulls herself together.

"Uh, Maura...well, yes, I want to. But, honestly...I don't know if I'm ready for this."

"Ready for what, Jane?" Maura backed off on the seductiveness a little, sensing that Jane needed just to talk.

"Well, us. You know. I mean, it's not that I'm not attracted to you. I am. And I realize now that there's no sense in burying or denying those feelings anymore. But, frankly, I just haven't processed it all, and I'm a little alarmed that I feel this strongly about you. It would be one thing if it was solely emotional, you know? But we have a _serious_ physical chemistry that unnerves me a little..." Jane sighed and looked at Maura; no longer feeling pressured, she was just confiding in her best friend.

"Oh, Jane," Maura said affectionately as she leaned forward to hug Jane tightly, "I completely understand."

They remained in their embrace for a while, long enough for Jane to remember how unnervingly attracted she was to Maura, and she pulled away. Being that close to Maura really did feel...right.

_And I did tell her I would kiss her again..._ Jane thought to herself.

"That being said..." Jane smirked, "I really do love you, and I _do_ want to follow through with my word..."

Maura smiled and held both of Jane's hands loosely, "To what word are you referring?"

Jane's smirk grew more sinister as she leaned into Maura. "This one," she whispered, pulling her hands gently away from Maura's and lovingly using them to cradle each of Maura's cheeks as she softly brought her lips to Maura's, a gesture which filled Maura, heart to nerve, with love, and, as she began to kiss Jane back, desire.

Jane's head tilted downwards to meet Maura's, her height above Maura causing Jane's thick curls to drape over their kiss and play against Maura's cheeks. The kiss was slow and loving, a continuation of where they had left off after the Robber. It sent shocks down both women's bodies.

Jane steps closer to Maura so that the full fronts of their bodies are nearly pressed together. The close proximity is electrifying, and both women want so badly to gratify the tingling sensation which spreads down the flank of the fronts of their bodies, asking for the contact to be realized, but something holds them back. Nervousness? Uncertainty?

After repeatedly pressing kisses into Maura's lips, Jane could feel her body reacting, right down to her core. She feels a heat burning down her thighs. And, this time, when Maura parts her lips beneath Jane's, Jane doesn't pull away. Instead, she wraps her hands around Maura's neck and threads her fingers up into that beautiful head of hair, pulling with a slight but confident pressure that kept Maura's mouth securely against hers while she allowed her tongue to gently slip between Maura's parted lips. Jane allows herself to kiss her friend in the way, somewhere inside, she had always wanted to kiss Maura. And now, with the kiss deepened, she wants to be as close to Maura as possible.

Maura leans back against the counter and allows herself to feel locked against it as Jane moved forward into her. Maura had taken charge just a minute ago, but the initiative that Jane has now assumed makes Maura's knees weak. An audible sigh escapes Maura as she feels Jane intensify the kiss, which encourages Jane further. Maura slides her hands up and down Jane's back before she rests them on Jane's hips, pulls slightly, and shifts her own hips forward so that their lower bodies finally make contact. Arousal shoots through both Jane and Maura at the contact, and Jane tries not to seem too eager, but she can't help the low sound of approval she moans into the kiss.

The two women remained like that for some time. Kissing, eager, but slightly unsure. Neither had experienced this with a woman. Neither knew quite what the other wanted, how far the other was willing to go, so they lingered where they were, enjoying the kiss and not wanting it to end by risking an unwanted advance. The romance, the lovingness, felt right. But Jane was still unsure about the heat she felt between her legs, the sexual arousal. She still felt a nagging embarrassment at the arousal she now experienced for Maura. A desire along with uncertainty burned in her core, and the only way she currently had to release it was both fulfilling and tantalizing.

Still, Jane, normally one to maintain control over her body, feels herself losing it. The kiss is stronger now, sexier. Their mouths are opened wider and their hands are roaming freer. Her breathing is audibly heavier. The taste and smell of Maura are heavenly. The feeling of Maura's body against hers is intoxicating. Kissing Maura is all-consuming. She runs her hands down Maura's neck, across Maura's shoulders, and down Maura's back, coming to rest at full hips that made slight motions into the detective's body.

Maura could not fathom the way Jane's legs and hips pressed against hers in a fit that felt like satisfying completion, like puzzle pieces locking together. She felt herself melting under Jane's advances, felt her insides turning to mush as the eager urges of Jane's body and intensity asked subtly for more. Jane possessed a confidence through which she carried out every action, and such was incredibly sexy to Maura. It was as if that swagger Jane exhibited extended to the personality of all her movements, all her touches, all her kisses. It was hot.

Jane had never felt such a body against her hands. The sensation of the curves and the softness was wholly new, and she was appreciating it in a way she never realized she could. She was both intrigued and aroused by the balance of soft curves and hard bone; she found herself running her hands over Maura's body in ways that, she realized, with some alarm, were entirely sexual.

Roused by that alarm, a part of Jane wanted to stop. Could she really engage in sexual activities with Maura? Her best friend? A woman? She certainly couldn't seem to stop herself.

Jane's hands rose from Maura's hips, traveled up her shapely sides, following her hourglass profile. Her hands followed Maura's pleasing contour slowly, passing up and down Maura, from her hips to her shoulders, producing small moans from Maura. With each pass, Jane grew a little more adventurous, a little more driven by lust, a little more confident, and so Jane's hands explored a little more with each journey down Maura's body.

Jane started to allow her hands to travel lower than Maura's hips, little by little with each pass, until she started curving her hands around to Maura's backside. Maura's breath grew increasingly labored as she enjoyed the sensation of Jane's hands wandering her body. Jane wasn't sure if Maura was comfortable with the advances her hands were making, so she continued to barely touch more of Maura with each ascent and descent of her hands over Maura's curves. Jane kept the pace slow.

Too slow, if you asked Maura.

There were parts of Maura burning for attention. Each time Jane's hands passed from Maura's waist to her shoulders, Jane's thumbs would brush the sides of Maura's breasts, and Maura's breath hitched every time, wishing Jane would touch her where she wanted. The way Jane's hands began to linger there told Maura that Jane wanted to, but was unsure.

Maura decided to give Jane a little confidence and direct Jane where she needed her. She dropped her hands from where they had been tangling in Jane's thick hair and slowly ran them down Jane's sides, coming to rest at Jane's thighs, and then traveling up again. She took Jane's cheek in one hand and Jane's hip in the other. She applied pressure to Jane's cheek while slightly turning her head, breaking the contact of their lips. She wrapped her hand around Jane's head and pulled gently as she turned her own head to the side, pulling until Jane's lips kissed down her jaw line and began on Maura's neck. Maura's eyes closed and she let out a long, sigh-like moan to signal to Jane her approval.

Maura's sureness had encouraged and aroused Jane, and she now nibbled on Maura's neck with a lust that sent Maura reeling.

"You're," Jane kissed Maura's neck, "so," another kiss, "beautiful, Maura," Jane whispered between kisses.

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's back and held Jane tight against her body with an overwhelming affection. As Jane's kisses travelled down her neck, reaching her collarbone, Maura's hand slid from Jane's back and reached Jane's hand that was resting on her hip. Maura placed her hand over Jane's and started guiding it up her stomach. She stopped just below her breast and removed her hand from Jane's.

"Touch me, Jane."

With that, Jane lost it. The slow burning arousal that had been brewing in her lower stomach went wild. She groaned at Maura's words, shot her kisses back up to Maura's mouth, and finally allowed her hand to slide over one of Maura's gorgeous breasts.

At this, both women moaned. They broke their kiss and their foreheads rested against each other's. Jane brought her other hand up to palm both of Maura's breasts, while Maura's hands travelled down to Jane's backside and pulled Jane closer to the fire burning between her legs. Jane slid a thigh between Maura's legs and felt her own legs begin to shake as Maura started moving herself against her thigh.

"Oh my god, Maura."

Maura just moaned in response, gliding her hands up Jane's front. Jane shuddered. Maura's hands laid flat against Jane's stomach and slid upward until they reached Jane's breasts. Maura moved her hands over Jane's breasts and squeezed lightly, brushing her thumbs over Jane's hardening nipples. Jane groaned, and, with Maura grinding against her thigh and touching her breasts, she felt like she could no longer stand.

She whispered, "Hey, Maura, could we, uh…" Jane is cut off by her own moan, "take this…upstairs?"


	8. Chapter VIII: Sexual Frustration

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for all your reviews/favorites/follows. Just a quick warning: this chapter begins the M-rated content. If you are offended by graphic sexual content, skip over this chapter. It's my first time writing smut, everyone, so I hope I did okay. Reviews are appreciated. And, with that, let the Rizzles commence.**

The question lingered in the air.

Maura smiled at the request, leaning into the crook of Jane's neck and shoulder, where her hot breath on Jane's neck sent a shiver down Jane's spine. Maura allowed her lips to hover directly beneath Jane's ear for a moment before she whispered, "Please."

Jane, eagerly, started to answer, "Ok-"

Her "okay" abruptly transformed into a whimper when she felt Maura's lips on her neck. Maura had simply not been able to resist the tan, silky skin so near to her mouth, so kissable. She kissed the soft skin beneath Jane's ear lovingly and lustfully, completely disorienting Jane. That spot was a particular weak point for the detective, and Maura was glad to make this discovery.

When Maura pulled away, smiling at the effect she had had on Jane, Jane resumed her thought, though somewhat dazed by Maura's tender lips, "Okaaaaayyy… Or, on second thought, we could not waste the time it takes to run up the stairs and proceed right here," she gestured toward the counter.

Jane smiled, pulling back to look at Maura. It was halfway a joke.

Maura simply bowed her head and raised one eyebrow suggestively, causing sharp currents of arousal to shoot down between Jane's legs.

"Oh my god, Maura, you're the sexiest woman on the face of the earth."

The unexpected compliment flattered Maura, causing a blush to spread across her cheeks. Jane found the flushed face of a slightly-embarrassed Maura adorable, and she smiled lovingly before leaning in to place a soft, chaste kiss on Maura's lips which made Maura feel positively cherished.

Jane rested her forehead on Maura's. Jane couldn't intellectually process what she was feeling emotionally and physically. She could only think of how good she felt in this moment, with Maura. She smiled lovingly at the woman she was holding, "I…I really do love you, Dr. Maura Dorothea Isles. And…not many people see this side of me."

Maura chuckled, and her heart felt twice its normal size. "I really do love you back, Detective Jane Clementine Rizzoli. And, I know. I feel privileged to experience it."

Jane cringed at the use of her unfortunate, uncharacteristically dainty middle name, but said simply, "You should feel sexy," her husky voice low and laden with desirous intent.

Maura made an "Oh, really?" face, but made no other response.

"Mhhmmm," Jane purred in affirmation, leaning in again to kiss the doctor's neck, "Privileged? I don't know. But, definitely so sexy that I can't resist…" Jane trailed off, kissing Maura's neck and lightly using her tongue and teeth to elicit quiet moans from an extremely aroused Maura. Jane placed her hands on Maura's hips, using them to pull Maura into her as she pushed her thigh a little harder between Maura's legs.

Maura let out a deep sigh of approval and allowed her head to fall back slightly as she enjoyed Jane's mouth on her neck and body against hers. She rubbed Jane's back with one hand and curled her other around Jane's neck affectionately. As Maura's legs grew weaker, she found herself letting more of her weight rest on Jane's thigh, giving more and more pressure to that oh-so-sensitive place.

"Jane…" Maura breathed, slowly losing command of her body under the detective's intimately sensual advances, "Didn't you say something about taking this upstairs?"

Jane slowly lifted her face from Maura's neck, planting kisses all along the path of her retreat, until she was again looking at Maura. "Yes, please, Maura."

Jane eased back from the weight she had been pressing into Maura and smiled. Maura gave Jane's lips a quick peck and then took Jane's hand in hers, leading her away to the intimacy they had been nervously anticipating all evening.

Maura looked back at Jane almost every other step, bestowing looks upon the detective that were affectionate and reassuring. Maura hoped Jane would be just as sure and confident when they arrived at their destination as she had started to be against the counter.

It wasn't a far destination, but it was a significant one. What happened tonight would bear a lot of weight.

Jane walked behind Maura, exchanging looks with Maura every time Maura looked back. Jane felt her nerves return with each passing moment, every step bringing her closer to something she wasn't sure if she should have.

But, when they arrived, when they passed through the framework of Maura's bedroom door, when Maura turned around and pressed her body against Jane's, all the worry melted away, and the two women once again engaged in a loving, lengthy, passionate kiss.

When they pulled away from the kiss, slowly, remembering how grateful they both were for this moment, they exchanged loving gazes.

Jane broke the enchanting silence, her apprehensions having melted away, "Wow. I have been primed for this experience. I couldn't be more ready for tonight, Dr. Isles."

Maura smiled. At first it was loving, appreciative. Then it was knowing, playful. "Oh, Detective Rizzoli, I think we can manage to prime your readiness even further. You know I wouldn't want to do anything until you were so, _completely_ ready," Maura smiled, mischief spiking the potency of her words.

Jane swallowed and bit her smiling lower lip, the aching at her core pulsing with a renewed beg. "Mmm, God, Maura…" was all she could manage before Maura had enveloped her in another kiss, this one far more heated than any that had come before.

This time, it was Maura's weight that pressed against Jane, enclosing her within the confines of the pursuit of Maura's body. Maura tangled one hand in Jane's curls and reached her other arm out behind Jane to find the door. She used the pressure of her body to walk Jane backward, closing the door, pressing Jane against it, and flipping the lock.

The confirmation of the clicking of the lock, the physical boundaries of Maura's body holding her against the door, and Maura's aggressive and eager pursual all combined to overwhelm Jane, producing the vocalization of, in Maura's opinion, the sexiest combination of a sexually frustrated whimper and a sexually aroused moan.

Maura responded in kind, moaning against Jane's lips to testify to her own desire. Maura intensified the kiss, sliding her tongue to meet Jane's through Jane's gratefully receptive lips, and initiating the passionate entangling of them.

Maura used her hand that wasn't tangling in Jane's hair, now free of its task of locking the door, to slide over Jane's body so beautifully emphasized in that black dress. Maura ran her hand over Jane's hip and side and curves, enjoying the tangibly pleasing outline of Jane's form, before moving her hand upward to enjoy Jane's breast.

Jane made a sound that seemed to convey "thank you," as her hands worked their own way to Maura's chest. The swell of Maura's abundant breasts against her palms, even through the layers of clothing, was a feeling so pleasing to Jane that she decided it was her new favorite sensation.

It was Jane's turn to take the initiative. She stiffened her body that had been slowly melting under Maura's pressure, fortifying herself against Maura. Jane reached her long arms down to the sides of Maura's thighs and grasped the fabric that covered them, slowly lifting it upward.

It was a move unexpected by Maura, as evidenced by her surprised moan, but the surprise quickly gave way to more demanding feelings as Jane's hands lifted the fabric of Maura's dress all the way up to Maura's hips, exposing the doctor's burgundy panties which Maura knew were damp with arousal.

"I couldn't," Maura breathed out between kisses, "decide between red or black," Maura moaned as she felt Jane's hands on the back of her now exposed thighs, "so I compromised…"

Jane chuckled – that was so like Maura – against Maura's lips as she braced herself against the door and lifted Maura's thighs up and around her hips. Maura was so surprised at the move that she broke the kiss, looking down between them to see Jane now clutched the bottoms of Maura's thighs, holding Maura against her. Maura wrapped her legs around Jane, moaned, and lowered her head to kiss Jane's neck.

Jane carried Maura to the bed, trying to remain upright despite the disorienting sensation of Maura's tongue beneath her ear. When Jane's knees hit the foot of the bed, she lowered Maura down onto the mattress, not ending the momentum when Maura reached it, but continuing lowering her own body until she hovered above Maura's reclined body.

Maura's mouth left Jane's neck, and Maura laid her head down on the bed, looking up at Jane with reverent affection. They smiled at each other for a few brief moments before Jane leaned down to kiss Maura on those gorgeous lips. Once again, their tongues met in a heated passion.

This time, Maura's hands were the ones making their way down to Jane's thighs, lifting Jane's dress up above her stomach so that Jane's legs were free to climb up onto the bed, crawling over instead of leaning over Maura.

Maura slithered backward up the mattress, with Jane following on her hands and knees, never breaking their kiss.

Clothes quickly became too confining for the activities they wanted to pursue, but Jane wasn't sure how to seek permission for furtherance. She broke the kiss and leaned back on to her knees, straddling Maura. She admired the body beneath her, and she became very aware of the wetness between her legs as she took in the sight of her spread legs over Maura's center. This arousing visual was enough for Jane to regain her courage. She looked at Maura, the question in her eyes all that Maura needed to sit up and meet Jane's body.

Jane, continuing to straddle Maura, helped support Maura with one arm wrapped around Maura's back as her other hand found the zipper on Maura's dress. She watched Maura's eyes as she slowly pulled the zipper down, looking for any sign in them that she should stop.

Maura's gaze was very encouraging, however, and it served to increase Jane's longing. She quickened her action and shortly felt the zipper halt upon its stopper. She moved her hands to Maura's shoulders, gently pushing the dress off of them. Maura let the dress fall off her torso to pool around her hips.

Jane's breath hitched when she took in the sight of the soft, newly exposed skin of Maura's chest. She could feel her heart pounding hard inside her chest, and she couldn't help but lean down to place loving kisses on Maura's lower neck, collarbone, and then lower still, to the top of Maura's breasts. Her hands reached up to feel their curves through the fabric of the burgundy lingerie.

The first thing Maura noticed about this new intimate position was the smell. Jane's smell. Maura's leaned her face down to the top of Jane's head, and she pressed kisses into Jane's hair as she took in the intoxicating scent of Jane, natural, with a hint of lavender. The smell overwhelmed Maura, and it would henceforth be a scent to enliven every one of Maura's nerves.

Maura reached around Jane's neck and shoulders to find the zipper of Jane's dress, wanting to share with Jane the moment she was now receiving. Jane continued to tease the tops of Maura's breasts with kisses while Maura lowered the zipper and began to push the dress off of Jane's shoulders. Jane rose from where she had been enjoying Maura's chest, and helped Maura free her own torso from the offending material.

It was Maura's turn to be enthralled as she gazed upon Jane's nearly naked torso, the complete sight obscured only by a simple black bra. With Jane's dress fallen around her hips, Maura appreciated every inch of exposed skin, all sexy, especially Jane's toned stomach…

Jane saw Maura's admiring stare, and she smiled. "I'm happy you like what you see."

Maura's eyes lifted back up to Jane's, "Jane, I love it. I mean, I've seen as much of you before, but now I can appreciate your body in an entirely new context. I never before appreciated how _sexy _your abdominal musculature is…"

Jane laughed, rolling off of Maura on to her back to slither out of her dress completely, pushing it down her legs and letting it fall to the side of the bed. Maura watched intently as Jane's long legs and visibly wet panties became completely exposed. A fresh wave of heat ached at Maura's core.

Jane, having rid herself of her dress, smiled at Maura's aroused stare and rolled over Maura once again, straddling Maura's hips and using her intense gaze to lower Maura to the bed, hovering over Maura, supporting herself with her lanky limbs.

Jane brought her face close to Maura's, asking, amused, "Is that Dr. Isles' version of dirty talk?" Jane pressed a chaste kiss to Maura's lips, "Comments about my," Jane assumed her low, sarcastically seductive voice, "_sexy abdominal musculature?"_ She smirked down at Maura.

Maura looked up at Jane with an amused smile that playfully chastised Jane for her jests, and then joked back, reaching up into Jane's hair, pulling Jane down for a kiss, "Oh, Jane, you know you like it."

When their lips met again, the kiss was comfortable, sexy, wonderful. They were in bed together, nearly naked, and it wasn't the awkward sexual gratification they had both feared. Through being lovers, they could remain best friends.

Jane, now more than ready to proceed with the actual sexual gratification, slowly lowered her body down to Maura's, and, for the first time, their naked skin made contact. Maura moaned into Jane's mouth, and, immediately, Jane felt the passion, the need, return. Maura's hands wandered from Jane's hair to explore more intimate areas of skin, down Jane's naked sides and back until the movement of her hands stopped at the clasp of Jane's bra.

Jane broke their kiss to focus on Maura's neck again, moaning a "mhm" of permission to Maura in the transition. Maura unclasped Jane's bra, slid the straps off of Jane's shoulders, and pulled the item out from between them. Jane had reached beneath Maura and was doing the same. Both bras hit the floor.

Jane lifted her torso off of Maura's to admire, for the first time, Maura's naked breasts. "Jesus, Maura, just when I thought your body couldn't get any more perfect." Jane wasted no time in swooping down to kiss Maura's chest, focusing first on Maura's right breast, slowly working her mouth inward to Maura's hardened nipple, while bringing her hand up palm Maura's other breast.

"Mmmmm, oh, Jane…" Maura moaned as Jane closed her mouth around a nipple. Hearing Maura moan her name caused a throbbing between Jane's legs that would have made Jane press her legs together, had they not been forced apart by her straddling of Maura's body. Jane could feel the wetness pooling between her spread thighs, and she needed gratification of the pulsing desire there. Jane allowed her lower body to sink, descending until center rested against Maura's thigh.

"Mmm, Maura," Jane couldn't help but moan as she switched her attention to Maura's left nipple.

"Jane," Maura moaned again as she felt Jane's wetness through her panties as Jane pressed against her thigh. Maura spread her own legs a little wider so Jane's thigh fell between them and she could press her own soaked center against Jane.

Jane began to grind herself against Maura's leg, and, as she slid back up to kiss Maura's lips, they found a rhythm to their grinding motion.

The consistent, rhythmic pressure against Jane's clit quickly intensified her moans so that they overwhelmed the kiss, and their lips broke apart.

"Maura, if we keep this up, I'm gonna…"

"Mmm, Jane," Maura moaned as she stopped her grinding movements, gripped the bed, and pushed with one arm so that she had flipped them over was now on top, "No, no, detective, not yet…"

Jane looked at Maura with wide eyes, not believing the display of strength she had just witnessed. Something about Maura taking control, Maura switching into offense, Jane found extremely sexy.

Maura smiled seductively into Jane's admiring gaze. "You like my moves?" Maura asked playfully.

"Really a turn on, Maur," Jane admitted, "But kinda mean. I was about to come."

Maura had already begun kissing down Jane's body, and Jane's eyes fluttered closed when Maura's lips made their first contact with the top of her breast.

"Oh, Jane," Maura purred as she breathed over one of Jane's hardened nipples, "I thought I told you just _how_ ready I wanted you to be before we let that happen…"

"Maura…" Jane whined as Maura gently teased Jane's nipple with her tongue.

"Patience, Jane," Maura whispered before taking Jane's nipple into her mouth and sucking. Jane moaned. When Maura was sufficiently satisfied with her work, she looked up at Jane, a change having come over her face. She no longer wore the seductive smirk.

Maura, still hovering over Jane's breasts, said thoughtfully, "I just…love you. And I want to explore every bit of you, make love to you, not just have sex."

Jane's gaze softened, and she ran her fingers through Maura's golden hair. "You're right, babe. And, I love you, too."

And, of course, as the profoundly unfair cosmos would have it, at this moment and no other, the phone downstairs decided to ring.

Taken abruptly from the moment, the two women flinched as the phone's ringing startled the silence. Jane threw her head back into the pillow with aggravated force.

"Uggggghhhhhh,' Jane groaned, "Of course."

Maura, as well, had at first been annoyed, but she said softly, "Jane, don't worry. I don't need to answer it. I'll call back later."

Jane looked up at Maura, and the ringing stopped. The answering machine picked up.

_Hey, Dr. Isles? This is Frost. We've been trying your and Jane's cellphones, but we can't reach you. We've got a homicide downtown. We need you both on this one. Call ASAP. _

The message machine turned off with a loud beep, and it was Maura's turn to groan.

Jane pushed herself to sit up. "C'mon, Maura. We gotta go. That was a buzz kill anyways. We can finish this soon."

Maura looked up at Jane with eyes of intense disappointment. She groaned one more time and sat up, sliding off the bed to once again put on the dress that still hung around her waist. "I'm only doing this for the forensic evidence."

Jane, despite the situation, couldn't help but smile, "That's my girl."

Maura whimpered at the address of affection. As they both found their clothes and began to get dressed, Maura began a stream of complaints, "This night was supposed to be _perfect_, and now here you are calling me 'babe' and 'your girl,' and we are interrupted."

Jane was disappointed too, obviously, and as she slid her dress over her shoulders, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken at Maura's words.

"And it's not just _any_ interruption," Maura continued, "it's the most _pleasant _of interruptions, a _murder."_

Jane cringed at the blatant statement of the glaring ugliness of the situation. She tried to lighten the mood. "Hey, Maura, you were sarcastic. You made a joke."

Maura sighed. That was all.

Jane tried again, "Brings a whole new meaning to sexual frustration, eh?"

Maura aggressively groaned as she unlocked and swung open the door, "You don't even know."

Jane followed Maura down the stairs, hearing their cellphones ring. They quickened their pace, their brains switching to work mode. They jogged to the table where their phones were vibrating.

Jane lifted hers from the table, saw it was Korsak, gave an apologetic look to Maura, and clicked the accept call button as Maura picked up her own phone.

Jane reached over to place a comforting touch on Maura's shoulder as they both answered the calls.

"Rizzoli."

"Isles."


	9. Chapter IX: In Many Ways, More

"Of course, I'm on my way," Maura said into the phone, trying to mask her disappointment.

"Yeah, Frost, we'll be right there," Jane sighed deeply, hanging up her cellphone. "God, "I'm so sorry, Maura," Jane rasped heavily with disappointment, her voice slow and sympathetic. She slowly slid her hand off of Maura's shoulder, raising her eyes to Maura's.

Maura's hand moved quickly up to stop Jane's hand from falling off her shoulder. She looked as if she might cry.

Jane moved in to envelope Maura in an embrace, noticing Maura's fragile emotions. She pulled Maura tight against her chest.

"Aw, Maura, it's okay. This doesn't change anything."

Maura took a slow, deep breath in Jane's arms, steadying her emotions. She curled her arms under the detective's and wrapped them around Jane's shoulder blades, laying her hands flat and holding Jane against her, gripping her tightly, as if she was afraid Jane might slip away.

"I just," Maura breathed, "I am afraid…that once we leave here, once we halt the momentum of what we had here tonight, apprehension will get the better of us and we'll question what we've started, and back down."

Jane released the tension of their embrace, pulling back to look at Maura, but still kept her hands resting on the sides of Maura's shoulders.

"Maura, I understand that, I really do. But, I promise, after tonight, I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Jane slid her hands down Maura's arms to Maura's waist. She leaned in to place a gentle kiss to Maura's lips, softly, lovingly, to reassure Maura of the truthfulness of her statement. She wasn't going anywhere.

Maura brought her hands up to Jane's jaw and brushed her thumbs across Jane's cheekbones before sliding her hands backward to thread them in Jane's thick curls. She looked at Jane deeply, searching for the truth in Jane's eyes. She seemed content with what she found. She believed Jane. She saw the love in Jane's gaze.

Maura pulled Jane in for a loving kiss of her own, the last expression of intimacy they would share before leaving the confines of Maura's home into the grim reality of their jobs. In this kiss, there was no hidden eagerness, no slow burning passion. It was a kiss of slow, steady reassurance.

And, when the kiss ended, both women knew, for an absolute certainty, that they'd be back in this moment the first chance they received. Neither of them were going anywhere.

But, for now, there was work to be done.

* * *

Jane drove. Maura rode quietly in the passenger seat. The silence between them was thick but not uncomfortable, more solemn than awkward.

Jane tried to lighten the mood, "Shit, the guys aren't gonna leave me alone for showing up to a crime scene in a dress."

Maura allowed herself to be amused. At this point, she may as well make the most of the situation.

"Mm, they may balk, but deep down they'll be admitting to how sexy you look," Maura joked. But, she was also being totally serious.

"Oh, really? Is that how I look, Maur?" Jane joked back, enjoying herself now that their usual banter was back.

"Jane. You look so sexy in that dress that I'll have difficulty redirecting my gaze."

"Yeah, well, truth be told, that's hard for me any normal day, with you around. You always look beautiful, with your hair and your clothes and everything," Jane casually admitted.

Maura reached her hand over the center console to rest it on Jane's thigh. Jane breathed deeply, trying to control her quickening pulse. "Mm, but Jane," Maura said in an excessively seductive tone, "now I can admire you with an entirely new context in mind…" Maura trailed off, tracing over Jane's thigh with nimble fingers.

"Maura…" Jane gripped the steering wheel, "I know we were…interrupted. And I know we've got some _serious_ sexual frustration going on, but we've gotta pull it together. We're almost to the crime scene and we've gotta keep our minds on work."

Maura pulled her hand away and exaggeratedly pouted.

Jane rolled her eyes. "You could keep your hands off of me before, Maura."

Maura groaned, "Yeah, but-"

"No buts!"

Maura was going to try a joke, but her thoughts were interrupted as they turned the corner and saw flashing lights, personnel, and yellow tape of the crime scene. The gears in her medical examiner brain immediately started turning, and she was grateful for the distracting mental activity.

Jane pulled up to the curb and parked, attempting to jump out of the car with her usual swift motion, now in a hurry to make up for her lateness, but her leap from the car was somewhat awkward as she remembered halfway through the action that she was in a dress.

She heard Maura giggle at her.

"Maura! It's not funny. And _this_ is why I don't wear dresses."

Jane rounded the hood of the cruiser to Maura, and the two, those badass-crime-fighting two, swaggered side by side to the crime scene.

Jane was met immediately by Frost, "Whoaaaa, Detective Rizzoli, what hot date did we pull you from?" He smiled that cheeky grin at her.

"Shut up, Frost," Jane said curtly, trying not to remember the hot date she had indeed been forcefully pulled from. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Maura smiling. She needed to focus. "What we got?"

Frost gave Jane a smirk before switching gears, "Looks like a mugging, the victim's a Caucasian fema-"

"Wha- Haha! Janie, what are you wearing?" Jane pivots to see Frankie staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at her, an amused grin covering his teasing face.

"Don't you say anything, Frankie. Two words outta ya and I'll throw my keys at your teeth."

Frost, Frankie, and Maura grimaced at Jane's threat.

"Okay, okay, I get it. But, gee, what kind of a date gets you to dress up like _that_?"

Jane's eyes shot to Maura in what Frost and Frankie perceived to be no more than an oh-my-god-can-you-believe-my-brother glance, but Maura smiled knowingly.

Maura spoke up, snapping on her gloves, "Trust me, Frankie, only a _really_ hot one."

Jane couldn't help but smirk as she looked at Maura, but then threw her head back in an annoyed groan, "Can you ladies _please_ cut the girly stuff and get to the blood and guts?"

Frost raised his eyebrows at Frankie and then led Jane to the scene, the body, and where the rest of the crew, including Korsak, were standing.

Korsak turned around to meet Jane, eyes widening as he took in what she was wearing, but before he could even open his mouth, Jane shot him a death glare that threatened him into silence. He shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands in defeat.

* * *

Later that night – it was now after three am – Jane and Maura drove home. They were off the case until morning; they needed the few hours of rest before delving into another homicide.

After leaving the scene, there was no discussion. Jane drove straight back to Maura's. Though it was tempting, both women were too exhausted and emotionally drained to resume the night's activities. But there was no ambiguity about where Jane would be spending the night.

They walked painfully slow, heavy with sleepiness, up the stairs to Maura's bedroom, rubbing their eyes and tugging their clothes off as they ascended. Once inside, Maura stripped to her underwear and hung her clothes up before eagerly sliding between the covers. Jane didn't even bother. She let her clothes fall to a pile on the floor, kicking them against the wall, and then joined Maura in the bed.

Jane lay flat on her back, and Maura snuggled up against her side, draping an arm across the detective's stomach. Jane turned her head to press her lips against Maura's forehead, kissing her goodnight.

Jane whispered, already falling into sleep, "I'm sorry our date wasn't what we wanted it to be, Maura."

Maura spoke, eyes remaining closed, "It was even more than I wanted in many ways, Jane."

Jane smiled, already feelings the pulls of her subconsciousness taking her away, she murmured in a half-conscious daze, "Mmm, I love you, Maura."

Maura's lips curved slightly in a sleepy smile, "I love you too, Jane."

And there, in each other's hold, both women drifted off into a happy sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Don't worry. There will be more Rizzles soon. :)**


	10. Chapter X: My Girlfriend, Jane Rizzoli

Two days later, the unit was near cracking the case. They were waiting on some DNA results to link the unsub to the scene. With that physical evidence, they could nail the guy.

Jane was eagerly awaiting the results.

Finishing the case meant seeing Maura again. They had seen a lot of each other at the station, working the case around the clock, but obviously that wasn't the type of company the two women were really craving from each other.

Jane sat up in BRIC, just waiting for the O.K. to go nail the perp. She twiddled with her phone.

She decided to text Maura: Are the results in yet?

Maura's response: Not yet, Jane. I'm so sorry.

Jane: Oh my god, we know this is our guy. We just gotta bring him in.

Maura: I know…I miss you.

Jane: Ditto. I'm sick of this case. I just wanna wrap it up and see my girlfriend.

Maura stared at the text, excitement burning in her belly. Did Jane really mean that? Were they official? Maura didn't want to leap to a potentially wrong conclusion, God knows, so she decided to clarify.

Maura texted back: Girlfriend?

Jane: Please?

Maura: Yes, yes, yes! Text messaging is an insufficient form of communication to express my enthusiastic affirmation.

Jane smiled uncharacteristically brightly at the text. She was amused at Maura being Maura, but also elated to have Maura accept her offer. Her stomach twisted over with butterflies. She had to go see Maura.

Jane: Then can I come see you?

Maura: Please.

Jane leapt out of her chair, practically ran to the elevator, and waited impatiently for it to descend, bouncing on the leg she leaned on. After what seemed like twenty years, she dashed into Maura's office, closing the door behind her.

Maura met her with a hug and an extremely happy smile.

When they pulled away, Maura asked, "Jane, does this mean…"

Jane held Maura's shoulders, nodding in happy affirmation. "Yeah, Maura. It does."

Maura just stood there, looking at Jane, mouth open in a gaping smile, and eyes deep with emotion. Finally, she managed, "Jane…I can't process what I'm feeling. It's just all so…I mean I'm so…this is so…great! I'm so happy. I just…I love you!"

Jane gave Maura a laughing smile and hugged her again. "Wow, Maur. It's so unlike you to be so inarticulate."

"I'm just overwhelmed, Jane. I love what we have. I love you."

"I love you too, Maura. I'm really, really glad this is happening."

Maura took Jane's hand and walked to the couch, asking with her actions for Jane to sit beside her.

"So let's talk about what this means," Maura said excitedly, "I'm officially your girlfriend now."

Jane sat beside Maura and nodded, "And I'm officially yours."

Maura's shoulders shot up in glee as she smiled. "That means I can take you on dates," Maura stated, punctuating "that" with a firm pointing of her finger.

"I feel like we've been doing that for years."

Maura thought for a moment, and then nodded, "We kinda have been. I just haven't been able to do this…"

Maura leaned in and kissed Jane, her lips finding Jane's before Jane could even register the action. When Maura pulled away, Jane's eyes were closed, and she was smiling.

Jane opened one eye in a squint, "That reminds me of all the other things you haven't been able to do…" Jane smirked, her voice low.

Maura quirked her shoulder and smiled seductively, saying with a wink, "Oh, Jane, you have _no_ idea what you're in for."

This time, Jane leaned in for the kiss, bringing her mouth to Maura's, her lips adorned with an _oh-my-god-Maura-you're-so-freaking-cute_ smile. She kissed Maura happily, bringing her hands up to hold Maura's cheeks.

Maura leaned forward, resting her hands on Jane's thighs. She spoke up between kisses, whispering to Jane, "I hope…" a kiss, "this also means…" another kiss, "that I don't have be jealous anymore, watching you with your various male suitors."

Jane, also between kisses, whispered back, "Mm, nope. Never."

Maura gave Jane one more kiss before pulling her mouth away. Leaning back just enough to look Jane in the eye, she said, "I'm not interesting in seeing any other people, Jane."

Jane's face showed that the words touched her, and she reached up to curl a stray bit of Maura's hair behind her ear.

"Me either, Maur. You were right about us. Our solid friendship is a strong base. And we've finally let our deeper feelings surface, so let's allow them to exist uninhibited."

Maura nodded, but her eyes were losing focus as her concentration zeroed in on a thought. She whispered, almost as if she didn't know she was saying it out loud, "My girlfriend, Jane Rizzoli…" Her lips slowly formed a smile, and then she spoke louder and with more confidence, "My _girlfriend, _Jane Rizzoli. Mm, I love the sound of that. I'm going to enjoy repeatedly thinking that phrase to myself."

Jane laughed, "You're funny, Maur… But, really, I got the better end of the deal. You're amazing," Jane said as she leaned in to kiss Maura again.

Her lips brushing against Jane's, Maura responded, "No, Jane. I'm the lucky one. I feel blessed to call you my friend, let alone my lover."

Jane pressed her lips against Maura's in a kiss that held something more than adoration, whispering softly, "Speaking of that…as soon as we bring this creep in…can I take you home?"

Maura deepened the kiss, parting her lips and letting Jane's tongue slip into her mouth, kissing Jane passionately for a minute before pulling away to answer, "Of course."

"Mmm," Jane softly moaned as they allowed themselves another kiss, cradling each other's jaws in their hands. They continued, slipping more and more into unawareness, forgetting their setting more completely with each passing moment.

Until a knock on the door startled them.

They pulled abruptly away from their kiss, and Jane jumped up from the couch.

"Shit," Jane said, wiping her mouth and running her fingers through her hair, "You're gonna be the death of me, Dr. Isles."

Maura smiled calmly at Jane, winking, and rose to get the door. She opened it, seeing Suzie with a manila folder.

Suzie looked at Maura, glanced and Jane, and then settled her gaze back on Maura, "Sorry if this is a bad time, but I have the DNA results from that hair sample." She handed Maura the folder.

Maura received it with a smile, nodding politely, "Thank you, Suzie."

Suzie turned around to leave, and Maura once again shut the door. She looked up at Jane, whose eyes were filled with a hopefulness concerning the results. Maura opened the folder and scanned down the page.

She looked up at Jane, smiling, "It's a match."

Jane became suddenly overloaded with emotions. In a swift motion, she glanced at her watch, noted the time was only 2:30, kissed Maura's cheek, opened the door, and ran outside.

She called back as she left Maura's office, "I'll be back for you within two hours!"

Maura stood there, smiling in accomplishment. Yet another bad guy caught. Then, closing the manila folder, she smiled in affection, feeling her love of Jane seize her. Finally, she smirked with pleasurable anticipation.

_My girlfriend, Jane Rizzoli, will be back for me within two hours._


	11. Chapter XI: We're Good for Each Other

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I was on an internet-less vacation. Here's a fluff-filled chapter for ya, and hopefully there will be more by tonight to make up for the time lost. Thanks everyone for your continued support. **

* * *

Precisely one hour and thirty nine minutes had elapsed when Maura started to feel anxious.

She had been intently watching the clock, counting down the minutes within the promised timeframe. But now, with only nineteen minutes until the two hour mark, Maura was beginning to worry that Jane had encountered more than she had anticipated, perhaps factors complicating the arrest. Maura began to fear it would be yet another late night at the station, began to dread the possibility of a cold-blooded killer stealing another night of Jane's, another night of Jane's that Maura so desperately wanted for herself.

Maura had been thoughtful since Jane had left. She had been thinking of all that had occurred these last few days. It had, admittedly, all happened rather quickly. Though Maura concluded their romantic relationship was indeed sudden, she didn't believe it to be rash. And, it felt wonderful. Maura shared something unique with Jane, a profound bond of friendship built on fundamental compatibilities. Maura had been somewhat ostracized throughout her life, forever the oddball, the science geek. She had never before experienced the close companionship which Jane Rizzoli had given her. Maura valued Jane Rizzoli, as a person, a best friend, and now she was privileged to value Jane as something more.

Really, no other person was as special to Maura as Jane Rizzoli.

_Jane Rizzoli, my girlfriend, _Maura thought, smiling to herself. She really did enjoy that phrase.

Precisely one hour and fifty two minutes had elapsed when Jane appeared, standing under the frame of Maura's office door, an enormous smile of accomplishment spread across her face.

She startled Maura, who was hovering over some paper work at her desk, with a clearing of her throat.

"Ahem," Jane announced theatrically while closing the door behind her, "I believe I have eight minutes to spare."

Maura looked up, overjoyed to see Jane had returned promptly and safely, and even within two hours. She placed her pencil on her desk and rose from her chair, slowly sauntering over to Jane with a grin on her face.

Jane took leisurely, drawn-out strides toward Maura, and the two smiling women met in the middle of the room.

Maura playfully grabbed at Jane's blazer, smiling up at the detective with pride in her eyes. "Another criminal behind bars, detective?"

"Another one caught. Thanks for your assistance, Dr. Isles," Jane droned back, resting her hands on Maura's hips while Maura's hands traveled up to the lapel of Jane's jacket.

Maura gripped the clothing firmly, holding Jane close to her and running her eyes down Jane's body.

"You know, Jane…" Maura said, her voice low and alluring, "you look gorgeous in a dress. You really do. And I love it when I get to see you in one. But…" Maura laid her hands flat against Jane's chest and slid them up, across Jane's shoulders, and wrapped her arms around the detective's neck. She continued, "But something about your usual attire is really sexy. You look like _Detective _Jane Rizzoli. You look badass. It's a turn on."

"Yeah, you're right, I'm pretty much a badass," Jane joked in mock arrogance, flashing a trademarked Rizzoli smirk, "But you…" Jane continued, tracing Maura's sides lightly with her fingertips as her voice dropped to a tone seductively reverent, "are an adorable, beautiful, hilarious, generous, genius, _sexy_ badass."

Maura blushed, both from the tenderness of Jane's fingers traveling her body and Jane's admiring words.

"Jane, I could use those same adjectives to describe you."

Jane raised her eyebrows in light disbelief, but she didn't deflect the compliment. Instead, she took Maura's face in her palms and stared at the beautiful woman before her, lightly caressing Maura's soft skin with her thumbs.

"Hey," Jane whispered in a low, affectionate rasp, "I love you, Maur."

Maura's eyes lightly closed under the sensation of Jane's loving hands cradling her cheeks, and her lips turned up into a peaceful smile.

"And I love you, Jane."

Maura's eyes remained shut, but she felt Jane leaning in to kiss her, and she braced herself for the sensation of tenderness that still freshly overwhelmed her body each time Jane's lips met hers. And, this time, of course, was no exception.

The kiss was slow, running over with emotion. The unimaginable softness of each other's gentle lips created in each woman a feeling of deep, infinite intimacy, like their closest moments were destined to be spent here, in this place where they breathed together as one, synchronized entity.

When Jane pulled back, Maura's eyes, instead of lust, reflected that emotional appreciation, and Jane smiled.

"I'm proud of you, Jane," Maura suddenly said, tightening her arms around Jane's neck.

Jane's face exhibited her surprise, and her confidence melted away into a pool of shy limpness. Her posture slouched and her shoulders curled into Maura's arms.

Jane was obviously at a loss as to how to take the compliment.

"Um…for what?" Jane tried.

"For being you," Maura said simply, "You just took another murderer off the streets and we dismissed that in two sentences of mundane conversation. You're incredible – in fact, one of the best – at your job, but you seek no praise. You're confident, but you don't strut around like a hero. You're strong, but you're caring. You're just, unabashedly, wonderfully, and assuredly you. Jane Rizzoli."

Jane blushed, squeezing her hands against where they were resting on Maura's hips.

She tried to shrug it off, "I just wanna, you know, be a good cop."

"Oh, you are," Maura assured her, "And, an amazing person too."

Jane tried to hide behind some humor, "You're just saying that so I'll take you home, aren't you?" She smirked.

Maura could have played along, but she didn't. She was serious. "No, Jane, I'm serious!" Maura loosened her arms around Jane's neck and leaned back, making sure she was looking in Jane's eyes with the utmost factuality, "You're everything I would look for in a…girlfriend…and more!"

Jane, somewhat more seriously, replied with a question that, admittedly, she kinda wanted to hear the legitimate answer to, "So, when you said I wasn't your type…?"

Maura cocked her head and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. When she decided she had reached her conclusion, she shot her eyes back to Jane. "Honestly, I was masking deeper feelings."

Jane's lips formed a small smile, and she kissed Maura chastely.

"You're incredible too," Jane said matter-of-factly.

"Jane." Maura spoke abruptly, as if one simple statement of the brunette's name would dismiss any truth in Jane's words.

"Hey, hey, hey, hear me out," Jane continued, "You can't just stand there and tell me _I'm _amazing but then refuse to take a simple compliment. You are. You _are_ incredible, Maura. You're so smart, it's ridiculous. I was pretty sure brains like yours only existed in stories until I met you. You're excessively generous and kind and sweet and strong. And. You're so gorgeous, you'd be ready for a photo shoot in the middle of performing an autopsy."

Maura laughed heartily, throwing her head back, but then her eyes returned to Jane's with such affection that Jane couldn't help but hug her. They stayed in an embrace for a while. It was…comforting, though neither woman was sure what in them needed comforted.

Maura whispered, her chin resting on Jane's shoulder, "We're…we're good for each other, Jane."

Jane sighed and pulled away. She ran both hands through her wild curls and looked at Maura. "Well, I at least know that…well, _you're_ good for _me._"

Maura eyed Jane before turning around to return to her desk and tidy up its contents, ready to call it a day. "Likewise, Jane. I've never had a friend like you."

Jane was softened by the honest remark, and she smiled, watching Maura straighten her desk. Doing so, she remembered something.

"Hey, I'm off for the day after catching the perp, and I'm pretty sure I promised my free time to you, Dr. Isles."

Maura grouped some papers together and squared the edges to alignment with a few firm taps on her desk, laying them neatly aside. She grabbed her jacket and purse, and began walking towards the door.

She asked Jane, "Have you eaten?"

Jane followed her out of the office. "Not since breakfast."

Maura locked her office and then turned around to lace her arm through Jane's. "Let me buy you dinner."

"A little early in the day for that, don't you think?"

"Somewhat, yes. But I want to free up our evening for other activities," Maura said coolly.

Jane shuddered and Maura smirked.

As they walked, arm in arm, into the elevator, Maura winked at Jane.

Jane replied, "Yeah, in that case, no objections."


	12. Chapter XII: Still Falling

**A/N: Warning: Intense fluff ahead.**

* * *

Jane had insisted that she go home to shower and make herself presentable for dinner and…the rest of their evening. She had had a long last few days, and it had done a number on her. Though Maura was eager, she wanted Jane to be comfortable. And she was _very_ understanding of how distracting wrinkled clothes could be.

By the time Jane had showered, changed, met Maura for burgers at the Robber, and eaten, their early evening out had become later than expected, and the extended timeframe had given Jane more to think about, more to contemplate.

She started to get nervous.

So, when they pulled up to Jane's apartment, as much as she wanted to continue as planned, she tried to buy herself some time to calm her nerves.

She turned off the car and turned to face Maura. "Hey, is it okay if we take Jo Friday on a quick walk?"

Maura smiled playfully. "You mean, before I get you to myself? Of course."

Jane laughed nervously, getting out of the car. "Alright. I know it's dark, but we'll make it quick. Let me take your stuff up to my apartment, and I'll grab Jo. Wait here and I'll be right down."

Maura handed Jane her purse and sweater, and Jane jogged up the stairs. When Jane reached her apartment, she made a quick round to make sure everything was presentable. She had straightened up earlier, but she was becoming paranoid. What if she wasn't good enough for Maura?

She set Maura's items on the counter and put Jo on a leash. Jane let out a heavy sigh and ran her fingers through her hair before exiting her apartment with her dog and heading back down the stairs. She found Maura waiting patiently, sitting on the entry steps.

"Ready?" Jane asked, trying to sound entirely casual.

Maura turned to face Jane and nodded, rising from where she had been sitting.

They began down the street, side by side as always, but even closer than they normally would walk. Jane was lost in thought, absently watching Jo trot a few steps ahead of them, when she felt Maura's hand slip into hers.

Jane was immediately pulled from her thoughts, and she turned her head to look at Maura.

"Is this…okay?" Maura asked quietly.

Jane stopped her steps while Jo sniffed around a small tree. "Yeah, Maur, of course," Jane replied softly. She leaned in to plant a kiss on Maura's forehead and gave Maura's hand a loving squeeze.

* * *

Jane and Maura strolled leisurely down the sidewalk, hand in hand. There was a cold breeze in the air, and there is always a cautious uncertainty about what one, especially a woman, may encounter passing the dark city alleyways, but Maura felt protected from both the elements and the people that the Boston night might throw at her with Jane by her side.

In spite of this, she shivered in the chilled night air.

"You cold, Maura?" Jane asked, genuinely concerned.

Maura shrugged, "A little," she admitted.

"I won't stand for it," Jane said, stopping and pulling her fingers from where they had been laced in Maura's to remove her jacket.

Maura smiled, humored by and endeared to Jane because of her chivalrous behavior. "Are you sure, Jane? Won't you be cold?"

Jane slipped the jacket around Maura's shoulders, "Nah, I'm fine. Now, I know it doesn't go with your dress, but, well…uh. There."

Maura closed her eyes and sighed deeply, pulling the jacket more tightly around her shoulders, "Oh, but it smells like you. Thank you."

Jane blushed a little, grateful that it was unnoticeable in the dark, and her hand found Maura's once again.

They walked on in silence, and Maura could tell something was on Jane's mind. Jane had retreated into one of those preoccupied shells, and her steps had become less leisurely, more uniform, less care-free.

"What's on your mind, Jane?" Maura asked, squeezing Jane's hand.

Jane looked up at Maura, surprised. "Huh? What? Nothing," Jane, as casually as she could, rebutted.

In the dark, Jane could just make out Maura's "I know better" look. Maura had cocked her head and raised an eyebrow. Maura reassured Jane softly, "Jane, we have to be able to talk to each other about anything with complete honesty. You can tell me."

Jane sighed. Maura was right. If they were gonna work out, they would both have to be completely open, and, admittedly, it was even more important to be honest with the type of things she was now thinking about.

"Yeah…okay," Jane conceded, "I guess I'm just…at little…anxious…" Jane wrapped her free arm around herself and rubbed her bicep, more out of nervousness than the cold.

Maura waited for Jane to continue. When Jane didn't, Maura spoke up, encouraging Jane to speak, "About what, Jane?"

Jane let out another distressed sigh, stopping in her tracks for a moment to grip the bridge of her nose and cringe before looking up again with a worried expression.

Jane reluctantly continued, "I'm just…gah. I know everything is going just fine, and last time we...well, last time we, uh…you know, started…it was fine! It felt fine. Well, it felt amazing. Natural, even. But, when I think about it now, distanced from it, I worry about it. Like maybe I'm not…well I'm not experienced. I don't really know how it's gonna be or what I'm gonna do or if I'll be any good at it. I feel like a teenager again."

Maura gave Jane her kindest, most reassuring smile, and squeezed Jane's hand.

"I don't want you to be worried, Jane, but I understand your feelings. And, I'm happy you shared them with me because… Well, I'm feeling them too."

Jane looked up, relieved, but also surprised. "You are?"

Maura nodded, "Of course."

"But aren't you like an expert at, like, everything? And doesn't "everything" include…I dunno, let's see, human anatomy and sex?"

Both women laughed at the light joke.

Maura picked up the conversation again as they reached the end of a block and turned around to head back to Jane's apartment. "I may know a lot about anatomy, and I may have, though not recently, indulged in my fair share of sexual activity, but that doesn't mean I'm entirely equipped to handle every distinct situation."

"What do ya mean?"

"I mean it's different with you. It's unique. So, I don't automatically know everything about our relationship simply because I'm _technically_ knowledgeable about humans, anatomy, and sex. Every relationship is distinct. And this one, especially so."

"Especially this one…because we're both women?"

"No, that's not exactly what I meant. I mean, it isn't distinct solely because of the physical details. I've always thought the woman's body is quite the stunning creation, and your body in particular is exquisite, so I have no doubt," Maura laughed, "trust me, no doubt, that I'll enjoy it sexually. But, it's especially different with you because you make me feel things that are beyond sexual. Everything I do with you is so…pervaded by emotional chemistry. You just…make me feel things I haven't felt before."

Jane thought about those words for a minute, not immediately responding.

"…are those different feelings bad?" She finally managed.

"No! Not at all, Jane," Maura assured her, "That wasn't what I was implying. I just wanted to assure you that this is new for me too, that you don't have to feel inadequate because I'm also discovering new territory. The unique differences of our relationship are what we can discover together, so there's no need to be nervous."

Jane seemed satisfied with this reassurance, but her nerves still turned uncomfortably within her stomach. "That…I feel that too, Maura. You make me feel a way I haven't felt before, too. I don't know why or what's different with you. Maybe it's that you're my best friend. I'm not sure. But…I dunno, I'm not afraid of that. I like that. It feels…right. That's not really the part that makes me nervous…"

Jane trailed off and Maura waited.

Jane finally continued, "I'm nervous about, well, sex. Specifically. I'm nervous about the emotions of it and…uh, well, frankly, the mechanics of it. We've always had a great friendship, Maura. We can't deny that we have chemistry. And, that's why it kinda feels like we've already been dating. We do things that most pairs of women friends don't do. But sex changes things."

Maura nodded in the dark. She squeezed Jane's hand and moved closer to Jane so that their shoulders were touching.

She thought before responding with, "You're right. It does. But, I love you, Jane. We wouldn't have the type of meaningless sex that makes a casual relationship awkward. When I think of being intimate with you, it's not really…sex, like that. You're the dearest person to me. I love you, and I want to make love to you."

They had approached Jane's apartment, and Jane was overwhelmed by Maura's words. In a good way. Jane climbed the stairs, still hand in hand with Maura, in silence. She quietly unlocked her apartment door and stepped inside, helping Maura out of the blazer. She still hadn't responded after sauntering over to the kitchen to lean against the counter.

Maura placed herself next to Jane and once again took her hand. She prompted softly, "Jane?"

Jane remained still for a moment longer, staring intently at some speckle on the kitchen floor. When Jane raised her head to look at Maura, it obviously wasn't to speak. She stared at Maura for a few long seconds, her gaze intensely loving. And then, Jane leaned forward, taking Maura's face in her hands, and kissed her with all the affection that had been in her eyes.

She kissed Maura for a long, long time.

The kiss was slow, loving, and gentle, and when Jane finally pulled away, she stared at Maura again, asking, in disbelief, "What took me so long to admit how much I love you?"

Maura had been caught off guard. She had been unprepared for such an expression of affection. Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and nuzzled herself into the crook of Jane's neck, inhaling deeply the scent of Jane.

Maura remained there for a while, finally sighing a reply, "I think it has always been understood between us. Our love was never a question. It has always been a part of our friendship. It just took us some time to realize that is was acceptable to add this dimension to our relationship. We were silly, really, to subconsciously dismiss the possibility on the basis of gender. But, it's understandable. I hadn't, and I assume you hadn't either, really even considered the personal possibility of falling in love with a woman, though I am by no means against it."

Jane had wrapped her arms around the woman who now nuzzled herself against her, and she felt herself hold her breath when she heard Maura's last words.

Jane turned her head and stared down at the woman against her shoulder, slowly, cautiously asking, "…uh…falling…in love?"

Maura looked up into Jane's eyes, still maintaining her snuggled position against the detective. "I'm sorry, Jane, if it's too soon for me to say that, but I can't ignore it. I'm falling in love with you."

Jane held Maura impossibly close against her and let out the breath she had been holding. "Don't apologize for that, are you kidding? I think I fell in love with you a long time ago."

"Oh," Maura said, closing her eyes and sighing with pleasant relief, "So did I, with you. I'm just…still falling."

Jane closed her eyes at Maura's words, not knowing how to process the emotions that were spilling over inside of her. So, she just stayed there, holding Maura tight, while Maura snuggled close into her. It felt perfect. She wasn't sure there was a more appropriate action to be taken.

What could have been an hour later, Jane spoke.

"Hey, Maura?"

Maura shifted in Jane's arms, like she was being stirred from a peaceful slumber, but her eyes remained closed.

"Yes, Jane?"

Jane loosened her hold on Maura a little. "Could we…could we wait?"

Maura opened her eyes with slight confusion. "Wait for what?"

Jane looked suddenly sheepish, and she dropped her hands from where they clung around Maura to nervously run her fingers through her hair. Maura leaned off of Jane and looked concerned.

Jane continued, "Could we wait…to…you know…" Jane gestured between herself and Maura.

Maura's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, Jane. Of course. Whenever you're ready."

Jane let out a breath of relief. "But, I feel bad! I mean, we had started to…but now that…well, now that it means so much, now that I'm, like…feeling how much I love you, I want it to be a special night. I want to take you out to one of your fancy places and take you home to a…tidy, "Jane chucked nervously, "apartment. I'm sorry, I just…"

Maura put a finger to Jane's lips.

"Jane, don't apologize. It's okay. I'd wait a lifetime if you needed."

Jane reluctantly smiled. Maura just looked so adorable. She leaned in and gave Maura a soft kiss to her forehead.

Jane spoke again, "It's just that…Maura, after what you just said, about it not being sex…about it being…well, more than that…I realized how true that was, and how much more you mean to me than a quick trip to bed."

Maura cocked her head with a loving smile. "I understand, Jane."

Maura took Jane's hand in hers and led her to sit down on the couch.

"However," Maura continued, "I want you to know that a fancy trip to dinner or an extra tidy apartment are non-issues to me. I just love you."

Jane chuckled. "I know, Maur. Thanks." Jane sat down beside Maura.

"Oh," Maura remembered, "And I also want to address a comment you made earlier."

"About what?" Jane asked, settling back into the couch and putting her feet up on the coffee table.

"About the mechanics of sex," Maura deadpanned.

Jane laughed. "Yeah, what about the _mechanics of sex?"_

Maura smiled, "I just want you to know," and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on Jane's lips, "that even though you were worried about the physical details of sex with a woman, you proved to be _quite _proficient at addressing my physical needs."

Jane blushed. "Uh, um…thanks, Maur."

Maura cuddled up against Jane, resting her head on Jane's shoulder and draping an arm over Jane's stomach.

"I'm just saying you have no need to worry," Maura said softly.

Jane wrapped her arms around the woman cuddled against her, feeling her chest flood with warmth.

"I love you, Jane," Maura whispered sleepily.

"I love you too, Maura."


	13. Chapter 13 XIII: This Weekend

**A/N: Alright, I just wanna let ya'll know that the long-awaited moment is to be fulfilled this weekend. I promise you the chapter by Sunday.**

* * *

Jane looked up from her desk at the sound, music to her ears.

The clack, clack, clack of high heels echoed off the concrete walls, signaling the approach of Jane's most favorite colleague.

Jane swiveled in her chair, directing her gaze to the entrance of the squad room. There her eyes found Maura, looking glamorous as always, sending Jane a flirtatious smile as she walked, hips swaying, toward Jane's desk.

Maura perched herself on the corner of Jane's desk, her smile growing with each second she looked at Jane. Jane's mutual happiness at the doctor's approach was equally apparent.

Anyone who cared to observe their recent interactions would have noticed a new spark between them.

As it was, no one dared to say anything.

"Movie at my place tonight," Maura said.

Jane raised her eyebrows. "That doesn't sound like a question."

"It's not," Maura said with a playful smile, quirking her shoulder.

Jane smiled, "I'll be there. What time and what should I bring?"

Maura had stepped down from the corner of Jane's desk and was now standing behind Jane, her hands on Jane's shoulders.

"Right after work. And don't worry about bringing anything."

Jane tried not to allow her breathing to quicken as she felt Maura's soft touch on her shoulders. She continued her work on her computer as a distraction.

"Okay. Text me if you change your mind and want me to bring something."

"You feel tense," Maura said.

"What?" Jane asked, surprised at the turn in conversation.

"Your shoulders, they're tense," Maura clarified.

"Oh. You know, catching murderers is sometimes stressful," Jane joked.

Maura laughed and began to massage Jane's shoulders.

Jane closed her eyes with a groan. "Damn, Maura…"

"Does this hurt?"

"Yeah…but in a good way."

Maura smiled and continued to work Jane's shoulders in her fingers for a few more minutes. When she stopped, she patted Jane's shoulders and again perched herself on Jane's desk.

"I can continue that later, if you would like," Maura said, catching Jane's gaze with a glint in her eye.

Jane chuckled, "I'd love that. But you should really let me bring something, so you're not hosting the dinner, show, _and_ free massages."

"Or you could just return the favor," Maura said with slight seductiveness.

"Ah. Will do, doctor," Jane smiled, returning to her computer screen once again.

Maura descended from Jane's desk and began to walk out of the room, turning back to face Jane once more at the doorway and calling out, "So, see you tonight?"

Jane looked up at her once more, smiled, and confirmed, "See you tonight." She gave Maura a loving wink before the doctor left to return to the morgue.

* * *

Maura and Jane sat cuddled up next to each other on Maura's couch, watching a movie.

Their tastes were so different when it came to what to watch – Jane liked her sports and Maura preferred her documentaries – but neither cared what they watched anymore. TV was just an excuse to sit closely together, to tangle in each other's limbs.

And, tonight, neither woman could really even say what they were watching. Cause' they weren't watching.

Jane sat back in the couch, her legs up on the coffee table and one arm around Maura, who was snuggled into Jane. She rested her head on Jane's chest, had one leg lifted up to rest across Jane's, and laid her hand on Jane's thigh where she held Jane's hand that wasn't resting on her shoulder.

Naturally, both women were a little hyper-aware of their bodies, and a little preoccupied.

Maura spoke up quietly, her voice vibrating against Jane's chest, "Jane?"

"Mhm?"

"Do you want your massage now?"

"Now? We're not done with the movie."

"I'm not really watching it…are you?"

Jane chuckled, "No, not really."

Both women began to shift, lazily pulling away from their being intertwined. Maura lifted her head from Jane's chest to look at Jane, removing her leg from where it had been draped across Jane's and resting her feet flat on the floor.

Maura smiled at Jane, grabbed Jane's hand, and stood. She beckoned Jane to follow her with a light pull.

Jane stood and began to follow as Maura tugged at her hand and led her, presumably, to the bedroom.

"Are…we going to your bedroom?" Jane asked, partially excited and partially nervous.

Maura looked back at Jane, over her shoulder. "Yes. You'll enjoy your massage more if you're lying down," Maura said, winking.

Jane ran the hand that wasn't being held by Maura's through her thick hair. She hoped that massages were all Maura had in mind for tonight. Jane had made arrangements for this weekend in hopes of a special evening, a special evening that she hoped would host their…first time. Jane decided she would wait and see, and speak up if necessary. She wanted this weekend to be largely a surprise. And, so, she remained quiet, following Maura with no resistance, watching Maura's seductive swaying with a small, loving smile.

_God, she is so hot._

When they arrived at Maura's bedroom, Maura opened the door and gestured for Jane to step inside, smiling playfully.

"Why don't you lie down on the bed?" Maura asked, retreating into her closet.

Jane stayed where she stood, rubbing her arm and looking at the bed nervously, unsure of whether or not this was a good idea. _I don't think I'll be able to stop her…or…myself…if she has more than massages in mind._

Maura walked back into the room, a bottle of lotion tucked under her arm, working some of its contents into her hands. She had changed into yoga pants and a tank top.

"Jane? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Maur, I'm fine…" Jane trailed off.

Maura was unconvinced. "Are you uncomfortable with this?"

Jane's eyes shot to Maura's. "God, no, Maura. Trust me. It's just that…" Jane redirected her gaze nervously to the bed. "Well, this is only for massages, right? Because, I was kinda hoping to…have a…a special weekend with you this weekend." Jane blushed, her shyness about what she was trying to say becoming manifest.

Maura smiled, trying not to laugh at Jane. She didn't want Jane to perceive her laugh as anything but what it was, adoring. Struggling to choke back her chuckle, Maura bit her lip.

It was obvious to Jane that Maura was trying not to laugh.

"What?!" Jane asked, defensively.

Upon being discovered, Maura let herself giggle. "Nothing, Jane! I swear. It's just that you're so…cute."

"Cute?!" Jane whined, letting her upper body slouch as she threw her head back and groaned at the ceiling. "Maura! You know what I was trying to say."

_Yes, yes I do, _Maura thought to herself, _And now I'm looking so forward to this weekend._ "Jane, I'm sorry. It was a laugh of adoration."

Jane crossed her arms and looked at Maura once again in a mock pout.

"Now, lie down on the bed," Maura said, undeterred, "I promise we can save…intimacy…for this weekend."

Jane made her pouty way to the bed, flopping down on to her back into the fluffy comforter with an exaggerated sigh, causing Maura to chuckle again. Jane's feet, still in her boots, hung over the edge. As Maura crawled on to the bed next to Jane, Jane's nerves spiked again.

"Okay, okay," Jane surrendered, "but if you're gonna do this, no funny business, okay?"

Maura looked quizzically at Jane, genuinely confused.

Jane grimaced and covered her face with her hand. "Just…I mean," Jane tried to say this in the least embarrassing way possible, "My self-control isn't iron, Maura."

Maura suddenly caught Jane's meaning, and she was debating whether to be understanding or devious.

She decided upon the latter.

Maura raised her eyebrow and crawled across the bed to Jane. Jane watched nervously as Maura lifted a knee across her body and straddled her. Maura made her hands into fists and placed one on either side of Jane's head, gazing down at Jane with a look that made Jane shudder.

Jane shut her eyes tightly. "Not fair, Maura," she groaned.

Jane, her eyes closed, was completely unprepared for Maura's reply of action. Maura dipped down, pressing a kiss into Jane's unsuspecting lips.

Jane's eyes opened for her split second of surprise before they closed again. "Mmmph" was Jane's only protest before she was entirely consumed by Maura's kiss, heat beginning to churn in her belly's region farthest south.

Maura felt Jane's body relax and lips part open slightly. Maura dipped her tongue into Jane's mouth a shallow depth, teasing Jane with its softness. Jane exhaled a slightly vocal sigh. Maura lowered her hips until her body met Jane's and she rested just below Jane's hips.

Neither woman could prevent the desire that flooded into their kiss at the contact.

As the kiss deepened, Jane lifted her arms from where they had been limply resting on the bed, bringing her hands to Maura's hips, and Maura sighed as those hands traveled to splay themselves across the taut muscles of her stomach.

But, when Jane's hands slid slightly lower to dip under the hem of Maura's tank top, Maura pulled away from the kiss and looked down at Jane, smiling.

"I thought we said no funny business," Maura laughingly whispered.

Jane removed her hands from under Maura's shirt and returned them to Maura's hips, but she groaned in annoyance.

"Oh my god, Maura, you practically jumped me!"

Maura sat up and leaned back, still straddling Jane. "You're right. I'm sorry. I got a little carried away," Maura chuckled.

"I don't know if this massage is such a good idea," Jane said, halfway disappointed that she was holding to her resolve.

Maura sighed. "Well, it is late…we could sleep."

"The weekend would come faster that way," Jane joked.

Maura lifted her leg up to crawl off of Jane, deciding instead to lie next to her girlfriend. Maura curled into Jane and draped an arm across her stomach.

"Sleep with me tonight?" Maura asked with such an adorable plea in her voice that Jane couldn't refuse.

Jane turned her head to lay a kiss on Maura's forehead. "Of course."

They remained lying like that for a while, almost dozing off while lazily alternating between kisses and whispers.

When they finally did have enough willpower to leave their cuddling and get ready for bed, Jane had butterflies so bad she felt like she was twelve. She couldn't wait for this weekend, couldn't wait to have her long-awaited time with Maura.

And when they finally turned off the lights to retire for the night, and Maura snuggled against Jane to finally drift into sleep, she couldn't remember loving anyone more than she loved the woman lying next to her.


	14. Chapter XIV: Friday Night Begins

**OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY. **

**So, I know, last you heard, this was supposed to be here, like, a week and a half ago. "This" ended up being two CRAZY LONG chapters. On top of two vacations, these chapters were like the hardest thing I've ever had to write. Hence, the wait.**

**So, chapter 14 is a dinner scene, leading up to, you know, consummation, in chapter 15. **

* * *

The day had finally come.

Well, the weekend. It was Friday and Jane was beyond…even…feeling. Maura's usual composure had been seriously compromised. It was a time of uncharacteristic giddiness for them both. Considering it all, Jane and Maura each masked the giddiness rather well, as they had become accustomed to doing with their strong emotions. Their job demanded it, really.

But, for once, Jane let the job take second place. She had requested not to be on call this weekend, and it didn't take much convincing for Maura to request the same; she was just as eager as Jane, and Maura was quite pleased with the forethought Jane had given to this weekend.

It's not that Jane had planned an exceptionally _romantic_ weekend, really. It wasn't some remarkable getaway or elaborate set up. She just wanted Maura. Nothing else. No one else. No interruptions.

The two things Jane _had_ planned, despite Maura's assurances that they were unimportant matters, were dinner and the state of her apartment. She had made reservations at one of Maura's favorite French restaurants, and she had given extra attention to the tidiness and cleanliness of her apartment for the past week, making sure it was in its best condition for this weekend. She…may have also stocked the fridge with Maura food and Maura drink in a burst of optimistic fantasy that Maura would be spending the entire weekend in her apartment.

Jane may have been a little excited.

* * *

Maura, though always admittedly meticulous about her appearance, had put even more thought into today's attire. She wore a red dress and leather jacket, looking drop-dead gorgeous and impossibly sexy, as per usual, and that's not even mentioning the lingerie she had on underneath.

And, if one looked, one might see the overnight bag stashed under the desk in her office, though it wouldn't be known that, in high hopes, Maura had readied her bag for more than a mere overnight.

She had her weekend bag and had asked Angela to feed Bass. Maura was prepared, if necessary (and, God willing, it would be), to spend the entire weekend away from home.

Jane was all Maura could think about.

* * *

Jane met Maura down in the morgue when she had finished up her day's work.

"I am officially off duty and off call for 48 blessed hours," she announced, approaching Maura.

Maura looked up at Jane to smile, but otherwise continued with some task that appeared something like organizing her autopsy tools, saying nonchalantly, "Just give me a second, and we'll be free to make the most of those 48 blessed hours."

Jane smiled excitedly, but couldn't help those nervous butterflies that suddenly fluttered into her stomach.

Jane hadn't dressed in any abnormal attempt to look particularly lovely; she wore her usual Jane Rizzoli attire, and Maura liked that.

Maura turned around to walk into her office, and, with her back to Jane, caught the detective off guard with a dead-pan compliment, "You look amazing."

It took Jane a moment to pull herself from watching Maura walk away and realize what Maura had just said. She followed Maura into her office.

"Wait, what? Is that sarcasm or…?" was Jane's surprised reply, "I'm wearing the same thing I always do."

Maura walked behind her desk, laughing. "No, it's not sarcasm. I'm serious."

"Uh…well…thank…you," Jane stammered as she watched Maura prepare to leave, "You look…" _Damn, so sexy. _"_Really _amazing."

Maura smiled at Jane and winked, causing Jane to shudder. She made a few clicks on her computer, presumably logging out of the system, and grabbed the bag she had stored under her desk. Jane couldn't help but wonder how long Maura had packed to be away.

"Ready to go?" Maura asked a still perplexed Jane.

"Uh, yeah," Jane replied, patting around in her pockets in an attempt to locate her keys, and following Maura out of her office, "I'm taking you to dinner tonight. I made reservations at one of your favorite places."

Maura turned to face Jane as she locked her office up for the weekend. "Jane, I told you, you don't have to-"

"I know, Maura," Jane cut her off, lifting a hand stop her, "I want to."

Maura couldn't help the "that's so sweet" smile that she was giving Jane, and Jane rolled her eyes at the mushiness of the moment.

"Maura, it's no big deal," Jane claimed, even though she had a difficult time convincing her own self that tonight was not, in fact, a big deal.

As the two women walked, side by side, making their way out of the building, Maura's curiosity got the better of her.

"So where are we going?" she asked, trying to keep the obvious eagerness out of her voice.

Jane just smirked at her, making it clear she would not be relaying the desired information. "It's a surprise!" she said, jokingly, "But I can say that you're gonna have to help me order. I'll be clueless as to 90 percent of the menu."

With this information, Maura could conclude that Jane had picked the restaurant with only her in mind, making Maura acutely aware of how much mind Jane really paid her, and how much she loved Jane for it.

"Oh, Jane," Maura gushed, "you didn't have to take me somewhere fancy! As long as it was dinner with you, I would have loved peanut butter and fluff sandwiches."

Jane laughed as they approached her car, "I'd have to treat you to something a little better than that, Maura."

They paused at Jane's car.

"So...you wanna…just," Jane tried, "leave your car here for the weekend?"

Maura's heart leapt. "Is that okay?" she asked calmly.

"Yeah, absolutely. Your car will be fine, and I…uh, planned for an entire weekend together anyways."

Maura gave an excited quirk of her shoulders and held up her bag, exclaiming, "Oh, Jane, so did I!"

Jane chuckled lovingly at Maura's enthusiasm and opened the door to the passenger side, gesturing for Maura to get in. Maura did so with all the Maura-like grace and childlike excitement that Jane loved about her.

After Jane had situated herself in the driver's seat, she looked over at Maura, confirming, "So. To dinner?"

Their gaze met, both pairs of eyes full of love and excitement and anticipation.

"To dinner."

* * *

Jane had chosen to take Maura to a French restaurant quite a lot more extravagant and a hell of lot more expensive that Jane would have ever picked out for herself, but Maura absolutely loved it, and thanked Jane repeatedly for being so thoughtful.

The restaurant may have not been Jane's cup of tea, but she had loved watching Maura enjoy everything so much, from the food to the wine to the service to the ambiance. It was cute, the way Maura took pleasure from such simple things in life. One could argue that this five star French restaurant wasn't one of said "simple things," but Maura wasn't here to be snooty, wasn't here solely because the restaurant was renowned. She was here because she genuinely enjoyed it, found every little detail genuinely exciting. And, having this evening with Maura highlighted for Jane that she loved that about Maura. She was so genuine.

They ate and talked, casually. Like they always did. And Jane had to admit, the food was pretty good. But, even though this wasn't entirely different from their usual Friday night routine, it was quite obvious to everyone who sat near them that Jane and Maura were more than two friends out for a nice dinner.

Smiles were exchanged. Looks became increasingly loving and gestures increasingly affectionate. Their meal wound down, and Jane paid. Maura thanked Jane with a kiss to her cheek. Jane blushed.

There was chemistry between them that could not be denied.

As they walked from the restaurant, Maura could have been nervous. But she wasn't. She just felt so grateful for the mutual friendship and love she had with Jane, and so grateful that tonight meant she could go as far as humanly possible in expressing that love. Maura's heart overflowed as they made their way to leave.

"I love you," Maura said softly, threading her arm through Jane's as they left the restaurant.

"I love you too, Maura," Jane responded quietly, gently squeezing Maura's arm in hers.

"You know I have a long time," Maura admitted rather casually, "meeting you was wonderful; it meant more than you could know to finally…have a friend."

Jane was quiet for a moment before she responded. "I think," Jane paused, "I bet I can understand that better than you think I can."

Maura leaned into Jane and nudged her with her shoulder, as if to say "go on."

Jane continued as they approached her car, "I mean, before you, I didn't have any close friends either."

"But you have Frost and Korsak."

"Yeah, I do. And they're friends. But I don't just…lounge on the couch with Frost or Korsak and have a drink or watch TV. I don't have sleepovers with them or go to yoga class with them and I sure as hell don't _talk_ to them like I do with you."

They had arrived at the car, and Jane opened the door for Maura. They stood there, Maura about to get in the car and Jane holding the door, looking at each other in the dark. Maura dropped her purse on to the passenger's seat and stared at Jane, the car door between their bodies. Despite the obstacle, she leaned slowly in.

"And this?" she whispered, closing the distance to press her lips to Jane's.

The sparks flew and bellies flip-flopped as the two women engaged in a slow, passionate kiss. When their lips came apart, Maura sighed contentedly.

"Yeah, no," Jane said, "I didn't spend a lot of time doing _that_ with any of my 'friends,'" Jane finger-quoted the word, "before you."

Maura smiled; though it was hard to see in the dark, it still gave Jane a warm feeling.

"Do you wish to spend more time engaged in that particular activity?" Maura joked, a seductive tone lightly present in her voice.

Warmth shot down Jane's thighs at the remembrance of tonight's plans, not that she had really ever passed one minute of the evening so far without remembering. She struggled to keep her voice steady as she leaned in for another kiss, and whispered, "Only if it's with you."

"Good thing we have all weekend," Maura whispered back.

Their lips met for another kiss, a kiss Maura's lips instantly parted for, and both women felt an edge to this kiss that must have been anticipation.

The softness of Maura's tongue made Jane sigh lightly, and Maura could feel the way arousal pooled between her legs at the sound, a wet throb beginning at the thought of where else her tongue may be allowed to venture tonight. Both women noted their bodies' reaction to the simple kiss, and, eager to make it home, pulled away.

"Whoa…that is some serious chemistry," Jane breathed, her eyes still closed.

Maura smiled, whispering softly, "Take me home, Jane."

Jane's nerves, arousal, and excitement all simultaneously spiked at those words, and Maura chuckled at the childish "mmmkay" Jane hummed in affirmation, dazed like a teenager after her first kiss.

Maura gave Jane a quick peck and swiftly took her seat in Jane's car. Jane took a second to register the moment before shutting Maura's door and striding to the driver's side. She hopped in the car and began the drive to her apartment, those pesky nerves turning over in her belly again.

The nerves gave way to the heat of arousal as a hand slid over her thigh.

Jane bit her lower lip and only barely remembered not to close her eyes, grateful her reaction wasn't visible in the dark. As Maura's hand curled around to Jane's inner thigh, inching upward to Jane's aching center, Jane struggle to control her breathing.

"You're," Jane tried; her voice started an octave higher than usual, so she made a conscious effort to bring it back down to a normal level as she finished, "you're killin' me, Maur."

Jane couldn't see the devious smile on Maura's lips. But, Maura pulled her hand off of Jane's thigh. It was difficult, but Maura decided it was for safety's sake.

"What do you want from tonight, Jane?" Maura asked, so quietly Jane almost couldn't hear.

Jane thought about it a moment as she drove, remaining silent for a few seconds, before saying, "What do you mean, Maur? I just want you. I just want Maura."

"What if it's not like…what if _I'm_ not like you expected?"

"Maura, I'm not _'expecting'_ anything. I just want to spend all weekend with you with no boundaries as to what I can do to say I love you. It's not about what I'm 'expecting.' For me, tonight and this weekend are just about…telling you I love you."

"Making love?" Maura asked, seeking affirmation for what she thought Jane was saying.

"Well, yeah…" Jane grimaced at the words, "But that's such a cliché phrase that people abuse. They apply it to situations where it shouldn't be applied, so…the phrase isn't as…meaningful…as how I wanted to describe tonight. So I didn't use it."

Maura looked out the window and nodded to herself, understanding what Jane was trying to say because she felt the same way. There was a long silence as both women processed the conversation.

"Thank you, Jane," was all Maura said after the long silence, and she said it so quietly and with such love and genuine gratitude that, even though there was nothing directly obvious for her to be thankful for, Jane understood. Because she felt thankful too.

Jane reached her hand over to Maura's lap, and Maura held it in her own hands. They drove in silence all the way back to Jane's apartment.


	15. XV: Friday Night Ends (the big moment)

**So yeah...now you see why it took me so long. This chapter is crazy long. I'm sorry! It's really difficult to write sex! ****_Please_**** give me feedback on this one, because, seriously, this is one of the most difficult things I've ever written. And it's my first full sex scene. Thanks for the support, everyone.**

**Hope it was worth the wait...enjoy!**

* * *

When Jane had parked and turned off the car, she didn't take her hand from Maura's. The two women sat there for a few more silent seconds before Jane pulled her hand away, looked at Maura, smiled, and got out of the car. Maura followed Jane, and soon they were standing outside Jane's door as Jane fumbled with her keys to unlock her door.

As they stepped inside, Maura instantly noticed the improved state of Jane's apartment.

Maura smiled, "Jane. Are you sure you live here?"

Jane turned around from the entry table where she was storing her gun with a confused look at her face, stammering, "Uh…yeah, Maura, what do you-" before Maura's meaning hit her, and she threw back her head in a breathy chuckle. She continued, "Wow. Dr. Isles told a joke. Not bad, Maura." Jane smirked at Maura.

Maura smiled proudly. "I just noticed the excessive tidiness as being untrue to your character," Maura said as she made her way to Jane's living room and sat herself down on the couch, setting her weekend bag out of the way and taking off her heels.

Jane took off her jacket, hanging it up on the way to the kitchen to grab a couple drinks. "Yeah, well, I happen to like you a lot. So I tidied up."

Maura stared off into space in mock thoughtfulness. "You know, I think I'll be too preoccupied to notice once we begin the items on our agenda."

Jane was walking back from the kitchen holding a glass of red wine and a beer. She set the drinks down on the coffee table and took a seat besides Maura, putting her feet up on the coffee table. "God, Maura, you make it sound so technical…" Jane trailed off. Watching Maura smile at her, she wondered out loud, "…What's…item one…on the agenda?"

Maura leaned forward to pick up her wine class, then leaned back into the arm of the couch and took a sip, watching Jane all the while with a playful glint in her eyes. She leaned her head back on to the arm of the couch, closed her eyes, and sighed, lifting up her legs to rest them down the length of the couch, which draped them across Jane's lap.

Maura breathed deeply. Her eyes still closed, she said simply, "To relax."

Jane awkwardly leaned forward over Maura's legs to retrieve her beer from the coffee table, and then leaned back again, settling into the cushions. She closed her eyes, took a long drink from her beer, and draped an arm across Maura's shins that were resting in her lap.

"Sounds good to me," Jane said quietly, "It has been a long week."

Maura chuckled, "Too long."

Jane felt tension she hadn't even been aware of leave her muscles. She let the ice cold beer, her comfy, familiar couch, and Maura's proximity settle her ever-active mind, and she could _truly _relax in the anticipation of the lovely prospect of being off call all weekend.

All weekend, with Maura.

And as the two women relaxed there together, resting their eyes and their constantly-engaged brains, allowing themselves to sink in to the first hours of their undisturbed weekend, they felt the nervousness along with the tension leave their bodies. They relaxed into each other's presence.

Jane sighed contentedly as she polished off the beer she had been sipping. She opened her eyes to lean forward and set the empty bottle on the coffee table. She glanced over at Maura, noticing she was still sipping peacefully at her wine. Jane leaned back into the cushions and let both of her hands fall gently on to Maura's legs, which she started to rub absent-mindedly.

Jane became aware of her actions upon hearing a little sigh from Maura's end of the couch. She looked up at Maura, smiling lovingly at how serene she looked lying there, eyes closed and stress absent from her relaxed face. Jane moved her hands to Maura's feet, this time consciously massaging the exhausted muscles there.

A smile curled across Maura's lips as Jane's hands lovingly worked at releasing hidden vaults of trapped muscular tension, and she let out a sigh to convey to Jane her appreciation.

When Jane's hands stopped their loving movements, Maura was so relaxed she could have fallen asleep, but that wasn't on her agenda until much later. So, she tipped the last sip of wine into her mouth, opened her eyes, slid her legs off of Jane's, and leaned forward to return her wine glass to the table.

Jane watched her, slightly smiling when Maura looked up to smile back. Both pairs of eyes sent the same message.

_I'm ready._

This unspoken, mutual sentiment raised both women from their comfortable positions on the couch. Jane reached out to take Maura's hand in hers. Jane's eyes asked a silent question, and Maura gave the slightest nod. Jane gave Maura's hand a squeeze, and then released it, turning towards the hall.

Maura followed Jane to her bedroom.

"You even made your bed," Maura jokingly noticed as she entered. She took a seat on the foot of Jane's bed.

Jane chuckled, shutting and locking the door, just in case. "Maybe I shouldn't have…can't have you getting used to this excessive neatness."

Maura smiled. "Don't worry, Jane. It doesn't matter."

Jane walked over to stand beside Maura, smiling at her appreciatively. "Good," she said, "because this is pretty exclusive to this weekend."

"Doesn't matter," Maura repeated. She explained, "I just want you," looking up at Jane with a gaze that proved it.

Jane sat down on the foot of the bed next to Maura, affection clear in her eyes, and rested her hand on Maura's knee.

"I love you, Maura."

The words were spoken with such a soft truthfulness behind them. It was like a gentle admission, like Detective Jane Rizzoli revealing a weakness, a soft spot in her rather impenetrable badass exoskeleton. But loving Maura wasn't a weakness.

Jane was beginning to discover that it was a strength to be able to expose yourself to someone you love; it was starting to be okay to feel vulnerable in Maura's arms. Maura was safe.

Jane continued, "I realized it the other night when I slept over. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you."

Maura smiled. Not at all an amused smile. But a highly moved smile, like she heard all those deeper words Jane was thinking, but not actually saying. And, she said all those words back. She admitted, "You're my soft spot, too." She said, "I feel safe with you, too." She said, "I too have never loved anyone more." But she said it all, conveyed it all compactly, with five softly spoken, powerful words.

"I love you too, Jane."

The two women shared a gaze for a moment before closing their eyes and slowly leaning in.

Their first kisses were slow and smiling, with Jane stroking Maura's knee with her thumb. They were long, loving kisses. They were thank yous of times past and promises of times to come.

They remained like that for a while, reveling in their emotional connection, deeply appreciating each other. They didn't stray from those light, gentle kisses until Maura reached up to tangle her fingers in Jane's hair, pulling Jane closer. She needed to have Jane closer.

Maura coupled her action with the parting of her lips, inviting Jane to deepen the kiss. Maura had one hand pulling gently against where the base of Jane's head met her neck, enjoying the soft, tender skin there that felt so private, so rarely acknowledged.

Maura suddenly realized how lucky she felt to be free to appreciate all such intimate parts of the beautiful woman next to her.

She pulled away from the kiss momentarily, looking at Jane in disbelief.

"Hm?" Jane calmly prompted, her whisper quiet and concerned that something was wrong.

"Nothing…" Maura couldn't find the words she needed, "I just…can't believe I get to…I can't believe I'm free to...kiss…and touch…and love you."

Jane's expression was incredulous, then loving, then incredulous again. She suddenly felt insecure. "Maura…you're…I mean, that's really sweet. But you're the beautiful one. Compared to you, I'm just so…_plain._" Jane gave a chuckle to let Maura know she wasn't spouting off vague insecurities to fish for compliments. She gave Maura a quick peck on the lips. "I can't believe _I_ get to love _you_."

Maura's expression softened, and she returned the kiss Jane had given her. Though Jane hadn't wanted her to, Maura heard the insecurity in Jane's voice. Maura smiled sweetly at Jane, slowly stood up, and removed her jacket, draping it over Jane's dresser.

Jane watched as more of Maura was revealed. She knew she had never seen anyone so beautiful.

When Maura returned to the bed, she pulled her dress up enough to allow her legs their full range of motion, and she slowly lifted one knee to each side of Jane, straddling her at the foot of the bed.

Maura settled into Jane's lap, and looked down at Jane with sincere eyes. "Jane," she said quietly, "You don't know how beautiful you are."

Jane couldn't say anything. She could only watch, could only look up at those loving hazel eyes and that perfect, kind face framed pictorially by the curls of hair falling all around it. Maura was just. Mesmerizing.

Maura, taking note of Jane's reverent stare, wanted nothing more than to return it, wanted nothing more than to make clear to Jane her own beauty. She wanted Jane to know that same awed gaze, wanted Jane to realize how wonderful she knew her to be, wanted Jane to feel respected, cherished, beautiful, and loved.

Especially beautiful. But most of all, loved.

Maura conjured up all those emotions and aims into her expression, and she noticed something flash across Jane's eyes. An awareness, maybe, of Maura's thoughts. What Maura couldn't express in her eyes, she then strove to express in her kiss.

She leaned down to press her lips to Jane's. If your average picture is worth a thousand words, this kiss spoke volumes.

Jane whimpered at the force behind Maura's kiss. Not lustful force or sexual force. Just…lovingness force. Physically, the kiss was impossibly gentle. But, emotionally, it was, to Jane, soul-crushing.

Jane reached her hands up into Maura's hair and held her there, pulling Maura slightly into her so that the kiss didn't have to end. Jane didn't have to worry though. Maura wasn't going anywhere.

They kissed like this for a long time, hands tangled in each other's hair, breathing in each other's comforting scent, kissing lovingly, like they had all the time in the world. There was no rush, none at all, tonight.

It took a while, but when Maura's hands started to drift, so did Jane's. Both sets of hands glided down each other's bodies until Maura's were playing with the hem of Jane's shirt and Jane's were fumbling with Maura's zipper. By mutual agreement, Maura lifted up while Jane pulled down.

Maura paused with the shirt lifted to Jane's arms while Jane finished sliding the zipper of Maura's dress to its southernmost position. Maura double checked Jane's eyes for permission, and then their kiss was broken temporarily while Maura lifted Jane's shirt over her head.

Maura dropped Jane's shirt to the side of them, looking down to admire Jane's feminine lines. Jane had worn a simple, navy bra. Maura loved Jane's simplicity. And somehow, it made Jane even more beautiful that she didn't flaunt, maybe even didn't realize, how attractive she was. Maura leaned down to kiss Jane's exposed shoulder, tenderly stating how she revered the revealed smooth skin with the delicate presses of her lips. She placed kisses all along Jane's collarbone, and then traveled up Jane's neck, before returning to Jane's lips.

Jane noticed the way Maura's kisses felt, noticed the way they cherished and worshipped and…_gave _more than those of any lover she had had before.

Jane gently pushed at the short sleeves of Maura's dress covering her shoulders. Maura slightly smiled as she kissed Jane and tilted each shoulder down while Jane finished sliding the dress off of them. Maura slid her arms, one at a time, out from the sleeves of the dress before wrapping each freed limb around Jane's neck as she kissed her.

Jane's hands rested on Maura's hips. Jane could feel the contrast of clothing and skin as half of her hands pressed against the fabric of Maura's dress and the other half touched Maura's naked side. She slid her hands so that the entirety of her palms felt Maura's bare abdomen. She felt Maura's muscles contract under her touch, and, as she glided her hands upward, she pulled away from the kiss to look upon Maura's torso, clad only in a lacy black bra.

Jane stared for a moment, taking in the sight of beautiful, creamy skin. "I think you got even more beautiful since the last time I saw you," she whispered, half smirking and half genuinely smiling, like she intended it to be a joke but...really meant it too.

Maura smiled. She understood. And…it _was_ kinda true, about Jane too. This time was more beautiful than the last attempt. It felt sacred, and it almost felt…new. Like this was really the first time. It was physical intimacy truly enveloped in love, so much so that it was almost forgotten that it was physical. It was, above all, emotional intimacy.

They had somehow entered an entirely new realm of lovemaking than they had existed in last time.

Jane dipped in to place kisses on the base of Maura's neck, down her collarbone and chest, to the tops of Maura's breasts. Both women noticed the change as their breathing grew heavy.

Maura's hands rubbed down Jane's back while Jane's lightly traced Maura's sides. Maura slowly, after many passes, brought her hands to the clasp of Jane's bra, pausing for a moment to receive Jane's consent. Detecting a small nod from Jane, who still kissed at Maura's chest, Maura placed a soft kiss atop Jane's head as she unhooked Jane's bra. Jane slipped her arms out of it and Maura tossed it aside.

Her vision still obscured by the thick raven curls of the woman now kissing her neck, Maura brought her hands around from Jane's back, first exploring Jane with her touch. The kisses on Maura's neck halted for a moment with the exhalation of a quiet sigh as Maura's hands splayed themselves over Jane's breasts, paying them gentle, reverential attention.

Maura brushed her thumbs over nipples as they hardened into points, and Maura placed repeated kisses into Jane's head as another sigh escaped Jane. Wanting to replace her caress with her kisses, Maura removed her hands from Jane's breasts to either side of her hips, leaning forward to convey to Jane her intention.

Jane leaned back in compliance, and the pair slowly lowered and backed themselves to the middle of the bed. Jane lay on her back while Maura straddled her near her hips.

Maura looked at Jane's naked torso beneath her as if it was the first time she had seen Jane exposed, because, really, it was. It was the first time Maura had ever seen Jane laid so emotionally bare, vulnerable and exposed and okay with it.

Jane was the most beautiful sight Maura had ever beheld.

Jane could feel Maura's admiring gaze, could feel Maura looking at her in a way that was unlike any way anyone had ever looked at her before. At this point, lying under someone half naked, cool air rushing over the less-often exposed, secret parts of her body, Jane would normally feel so…_visible. _So bare and unprotected. But Maura's gaze was so full of reverence and respect and love that Jane felt…covered. Almost as if Maura was lying fully on her, holding her, protecting her from vulnerability. There was enough warmth in Maura's eyes to cover her over, hold her tightly, so that Maura didn't even have to touch her to envelop her in security.

Those loving eyes were the safest place Jane had known in a long, long time.

Jane reached up with both hands, looking deeply into that safe place, and curled Maura's hair behind her ears before cupping Maura's face in her hands and pulling her down into a kiss.

Both pairs of eyes closed, and a long time was spent in this intimate place. Maura kissed Jane with all the kindness and love she could muster. First, on Jane's lips. And then, to Jane's neck, whispering in the transition, "You are beyond beautiful, Jane."

Jane didn't know why this time was different. People, even Maura, had called her beautiful before. But something about this time, something about those specific words, in this specific moment, made her melt under Maura, and all she could do in response was cling tightly to Maura, wrapping her arms around Maura's back in a grasp which asked Maura never to leave.

Maura continued her kisses, nibbling below Jane's ear in the way she had discovered their first night together that Jane loved. And it was while she hovered here, kissing Jane tenderly, that she felt Jane's hands travel up her back and unhook the clasp of her bra.

Maura sat back up, sliding the straps off of her arms and laying her bra aside. Jane looked up at the most perfect, picturesque form she had ever seen.

"Maura," Jane whispered, running her hands slowly up Maura's stomach to cup her breasts in her palms, "I can't believe how stunning you are."

Maura leaned her head back slightly and closed her eyes as Jane's hands roved her completely exposed torso, reveling in the feeling of those patches of warmth replacing the coolness of air on her skin.

Maura could feel the scarred, slightly risen patch of palm in the hands that now lovingly traveled her body. Even with her eyes closed, this little detail made it certain that it was Jane touching her, Jane loving her. Maura would never again have a fantasy excluding this intimate detail.

Maura reached down to Jane's wrists, halting them. For a moment, Jane was afraid it was because Maura wanted her to stop, but was surprised when Maura lifted each of her hands to her mouth and pressed her lips to both sides of both scars in tender, healing kisses.

Jane found the gesture sweet, but she almost told Maura that she didn't have to address her ugliest parts.

As if Maura could read her thoughts, she said quietly, "Every part of you, Jane, is beautiful."

It was as if Maura was aware of each, however insignificant, of Jane's insecurities, and was there to caress every last one into blissful oblivion.

Maura returned Jane's palms to her breasts before leaning down to kiss Jane's lips once again. Something about that action made Jane's stomach jump and caused heat to shoot between her legs.

There was something about the mix of Maura's actions, some being emollient and some being out-of-this-world sexy, that, Jane was certain, formed the perfect recipe for lovemaking. Jane's body oscillated between flooding with love and spiking with arousal, and the combination was brewing dangerously strong inside her, building up to a climax that Jane was simultaneously excited and wary to release.

Maura spent time at Jane's mouth, and then some at Jane's neck, before kissing down Jane's collarbone and then to her breasts. Jane slid her hands to tangle in Maura's hair, the scent of which sent Jane reeling.

Maura kissed across Jane's breast and up to a nipple, taking it in her mouth and flicking across it with her tongue. Jane's back tensed and slightly arched at the sensation, and she stifled a light moan by biting her lower lip. The tenseness and stifling was not lost on Maura. She did everything she could to encourage Jane to relax.

Maura switched her attentions to Jane's other breast, bringing her hand up to palm the breast her mouth had just left. Maura remained here, content in her tender ministrations, until the hands that were tangled in her hair pulled her ever so slightly upward, and Maura returned to Jane's lips, lying fully over Jane's body.

The feeling of Maura's lowered body lying over her, covering her, naked, smooth skin upon naked, smooth skin, was something Jane hadn't been able to anticipate. Jane sighed of contentment as she kissed Maura, feeling secure (rather than crushed, as it had felt with men in the past), under her weight.

Maura soon felt hands down at the dress that still hung loosely around her waist. She leaned back and pulled the dress over her head. She held the dress in her hands, looking between it and Jane with a worried expression on her face.

Jane chuckled beneath Maura, "Maura, it's fine. Go hang up your dress."

"No, no, it's okay, Jane," Maura said unconvincingly, dropping her dress to the side of the bed.

"Maura, I know it's gonna eat at you if you don't hang it up. It's okay."

An amused smirk spread across Jane's lips as she watched Maura reluctantly but gratefully get up to retrieve her dress from the floor, smooth it out, and hang it over the back of a chair. It was adorable, so Maura. But it was also the first time Jane had seen Maura walk around in nothing but her underwear which were, of course, lacy black panties to match her bra.

Jane's breath hitched as she watched Maura turn around and crawl back on to the bed and once again climb across her body to straddle her. Maura, on her hands and knees, looked down at Jane with smiling eyes. She had seen Jane admiring her.

Jane looked up at Maura, wondering how in the hell she always looked so amazing, so picture-perfect. "You are so beautiful, Maura," Jane whispered as she raised her arms from the bed and spread her hands over Maura's sides, traveling up to her shoulders and then down to her hips. In a burst of bravery, she slid her hands even lower. She began to caress the backs of Maura's bare thighs.

Jane watched Maura's eyes close above her and listened to Maura's breathing grow ragged as she inched her hands upward, curving around Maura's backside to her lower back and then down again to the tops of her thighs.

Sliding herself somewhat lower, Jane brought her kisses to Maura's chest, working her away across the skin so smooth and deliciously colored that the delectably creamy sight of it almost tricked Jane's brain into giving it taste. Jane's hands still caressed Maura's thighs while Jane worked her kisses toward the stiff point of Maura's nipple. Jane's lower abdomen burned as she listened to the soft, feminine sighs that her actions earned from Maura.

She paid her kisses to both of Maura's breasts before sliding herself upward so she could see Maura again. Trembling hands continued their motions around Maura's thighs as Jane, intently watching Maura's face, suddenly wanted to do more.

But this was where the new line was crossed. This was beyond where they had gone last time. This was new territory. This was something Jane had never done.

Jane spoke up, barely above a whisper, in a voice softly quivering, "Maura, can I…" Jane started, watching Maura's eyes open at the whisper of her name, "Can I…I want to touch you. Can I touch you?"

Maura gave a small, encouraging nod, lowering her body to kiss Jane. Jane welcomed Maura's kisses, finding confidence in the love she found there. Her hands lingered a few more long seconds on the backs of Maura's thighs before sliding up and around her waist, thumbs passing over hip bones, and one hand slipped between their bodies to slide over Maura's center.

Their lips broke apart at the contact as both women's breath hitched, Maura's at the sensation of Jane's palm pressed against her, and Jane's at the sensation coupled with the discovering of the soaked fabric she encountered there. Jane cupped Maura for a moment, breathing heavy, her hand still, while Maura hung her head in the crook of Jane's neck and shoulder, releasing hot, labored exhales against Jane's neck as the heel of Jane's hand pressed firmly against Maura.

"Maura…" Jane breathed, still startled by the dampness against her hand, "you're…is this…this is because of me?"

Maura raised her head to look at Jane, kissing her with a silent nod of affirmation that spiked Jane's own arousal, making her aware of the similar state of her own panties.

As Jane's fingers began to make slow circles over the fabric of Maura's panties, Maura's head once again dropped over Jane's shoulder, where she would kiss Jane's neck in between quiet moans.

Jane was dazed. Maura's soft sighs in her ear, touching Maura intimately, feeling Maura rock gently against her hand, the smell of Maura, it was all just overwhelming. All Jane could do was continue, turning her head to press kisses into Maura's hair every so often to keep her grounded, to tie her to earth as her consciousness tried to float away.

Though she remained in her Maura-induced stupor, Jane slowly came to her senses enough to realize what this was building towards, what this rubbing on her part and rocking on Maura's would eventually produce. It was obvious, but it felt like a new revelation at the same time.

Jane turned her mouth into Maura's hair again, placing another kiss into it before whispering, "Is this…okay, Maura?"

Maura stopped rocking against Jane's hand and was silent a second to catch her breath. Though Maura could have easily caught her release by this means, there was something she yet wanted.

Removing her hand from where she had been grasping Jane's shoulder, Maura slid it between their bodies until it covered Jane's hand which still cupped her gently. Maura gripped Jane's hand lightly, leading it up, and then back down, but this time sliding it under the waistband of her panties.

Maura brought her hand back up to Jane's shoulder, leaving Jane trembling with irregular breathing. She brought her lips close to Jane's ear and whispered her desire to Jane with hot breath.

"Yes, this is more than okay…but I…I want you…inside of me, Jane."

Jane could have died. Could have exploded right there. Could have come right then. All at once.

But she didn't. She just lay there, stunned. She didn't speak, didn't move, didn't even breathe until she realized her lungs were burning for air. And then her held breath was exhaled in a raggedly released whimper.

Maura smiled as she continued to press kisses into Jane's neck, slowly waking Jane's incredulous consciousness.

Her smile disappeared into her soft gasp as Jane's temporarily immobilized hand regained movement and slid lower. Jane again pressed kisses into Maura's hair, assuring Maura of her love as her hand found the most intimate of Maura.

It was Jane's turn to gasp when her fingers made their first passes through Maura's slick folds. She wondered how in the world this could feel so unfamiliar and so unique when her own hand had felt her own similar self so many times.

Jane spent a few moments acclimating to these new sensations, listening to Maura's soft sighs. She slid her fingers up, gathering wetness before rubbing circles against Maura's clit.

"Oh my god, Maura," Jane breathed, her whisper low and raspy, deep in a way that made Maura shudder.

Between sighs, Maura could only manage, "Please, Jane."

Jane's fingers trembled as they once against slid lower, sliding one finger slowly in. And then two. She held them still, calming herself for a moment before making any other movements.

Maura's breath was heavy. She lay atop Jane, barely managing to keep any of her weight off of her. The slightest movement, including the sporadic clenching of her muscles around Jane's fingers, melted Maura into Jane. The feeling of Jane…finally inside her…was so impossibly intimate that there were no words. The only expressions fitting for this moment were the sighs, the light moans, that escaped Maura's lips.

"Jane…" Maura softly moaned.

Jane moaned back, but could form no words.

Having somewhat recollected herself from the puddle she had melted in to, Jane began moving her fingers out, slowly, and then back in, just as slowly. It took a few cycles before she established a slightly faster, steady rhythm.

Maura quivered, not able to join Jane in movement for a moment. By the time Jane had begun her rhythm, Maura was coherent enough to begin rocking against Jane's hand.

The light, breathy, feminine moans that Jane was hearing from Maura were sending shocks of arousal straight down her core. She was burning with desire as the pace of their actions increased.

Maura thrust her hips slightly into Jane's hand as Jane continued the rhythm of her fingers beneath Maura. Jane's free hand slid over Maura's body, lingering here and there to guide hips, finger a nipple, or tangle in hair.

Minutes passed like this, and Maura felt the sensations building inside of her, approaching a release she desperately sought.

"Jane," Maura moaned, "I'm going to…soon."

Jane's center ached at those words as she became aware of another surge of her own wetness. Her desire was boiling.

The space between Maura's moans was almost nonexistent, and her voice was growing with need. Jane could hear and physically feel the nearness of Maura's orgasm, and she was so grateful, though disbelieving, that it was her who was here. Now, with Maura.

Jane's heart overflowed. She couldn't tell which was more potent – the ache that burned between her legs or the affectionate love which spilled over in her heart.

"Mmhhh, Jane, I'm going to…"

Love. Definitely the love. There was _nothing_ more powerful than that as Jane held Maura riding out her release.

"Jane, Jane, Jane…"

Maura's orgasm flooded through her, ebbed and flowed over her consciousness in pleasurable waves, like she was lying at the bottom of the ocean as the tide rolled over her. She collapsed into Jane beneath her, calling out desperately as she came.

Jane pressed her palm against Maura, prolonging the pleasure as long as possible for Maura's sake. As Maura's spasms subsided, Jane gently released the pressure of her hand, backing off, respecting Maura's sensitivity.

Maura's body hung limp over Jane's, her breath still coming hard. Jane carefully pulled her hand from Maura, and, with both arms free, she wrapped them around Maura's back, holding her close.

Maura's breathing slowed, each breath incrementally restored to normal. As her coherence returned to her, she gently slid herself from resting full-frontally on Jane's body, letting herself fall to the side of Jane, nuzzling her face in Jane's neck, and wrapping an arm around Jane's stomach.

Jane let Maura slide to her side, loosing her arms around Maura. She turned her head to the side and placed a kiss on Maura's forehead.

Minutes passed with no movement, and no sounds other than breathing. A heaviness pervaded the air; a spell had come over the room that neither Jane nor Maura wanted to break.

Jane couldn't speak, could barely move. She only managed to give Maura the occasional kiss and stroke Maura's arm that rested across her. She couldn't describe the love that pulsed through her. It made her heart ache. She hadn't thought this feeling possible.

When the air finally grew thinner, Maura tightened her arm around Jane's waist, holding her closer still, and opened her mouth to speak.

Still, it took her a minute to finally whisper out the word, "That…" Maura trailed off. Her indefinitely expansive brain ran through its entire list of adjectives. She found none that were consistent with her feelings.

Jane's voice came low and raspy, an affectionate whisper, "There are no words, Maur. That's why you can't find them."

Maura breathily chuckled and placed a kiss on Jane's jaw. Jane knew her too well. Jane smirked, knowing she had called Maura out on the adjective search her ever-articulate brain had been conducting.

"Jane, I'm blown away."

"God. Me too, Maur. I had no idea…" Jane forgot what she had no idea of. She just had no idea…that _any_ of this would be…_anything_like it had been.

Maura smiled, elevating herself on her elbow to look at Jane, "That you would be so _good_ at this?!" Maura finished Jane's sentence teasingly.

Jane laughed, reaching her arm over to Maura to hold Maura's hand in hers.

"I _was_ nervous," Jane admitted, "but it all came so naturally."

Maura leaned down to kiss Jane. Both women's lips were smiling as they pressed together.

Releasing Jane's hand, Maura rolled back on top of Jane. Jane's desire that had been put on hold now came raging back again as she realized where things would be heading next. Her stomach was one giant, tight, sexually frustrated knot that begged for a release of tension.

Maura kissed Jane repeatedly before pulling slightly away to ask softly, "Your turn?"

Jane bit her lower lip and looked up at Maura, her lower abdomen churning with a throbbing heat.

Maura just smiled at Jane's expression, taking it as an affirmative response, and lowered herself back down to kiss Jane.

As they had returned to again and again that night, they kissed slow and languidly, taking their sweet time to enjoy the soft sensations of each other's mouths. Maura's hands stroked Jane's cheeks. Her thumbs must have passed over Jane's cheekbones a hundred times before they ventured lower; Maura's hands journeyed down Jane's body, lingering again at Jane's breasts.

Maura kneaded Jane's breasts and brushed her fingers over Jane's nipples, trying to get Jane ready again for something that, had she known, Jane was already aching for.

Maura kissed across Jane's jaw and down to her neck, and Jane moaned quietly when Maura's fingers gently squeezed her nipples. She wished Maura knew how ready she already was.

_Oh, yeah. That…speech…thing, _Jane remembered to herself as she realized she had a voice with which to communicate to Maura. Though desperately arousal-laden, it was still functional.

"Maura…." Jane breathed, and Maura raised her head from where she had been kissing Jane's neck to look at Jane. "Maura…I'm…uh, well, I'm really ready…already."

Maura smiled widely, leaning down to give Jane an excited peck on the lips.

She didn't hesitate to resume kissing beneath Jane's ear, but this time her hands wandered down to Jane's belt, deftly undoing the buckle.

Jane's breath hitched as she felt the warmth of Maura's hands on her lower body. She ran her own hands aimlessly over Maura's bare back, seeking some distraction from her growing need.

Jane felt Maura hook her thumbs into the waistband of her pants, and she raised her hips slightly to allow Maura to pull them down over her hips. Maura slid off of Jane briefly as Jane slithered out of the clothing. A modest pair of black underwear covered Jane. Needless to say, they hadn't matched her bra. But Maura didn't care.

Wasting no time now, Maura returned to straddling Jane, kissing down her chest with renewed fervor to place loving kisses on Jane's breasts while her hands rubbed down Jane's thighs.

With one pass of Maura's hands that came dangerously close to Jane's center, Jane couldn't help the almost undetectable thrust upward that her hips made, almost more like a tensing of the muscles. With that encouragement, Maura brought one hand to cup Jane's center, and enclosed her mouth around a nipple.

Jane released a heavy sigh, her voice lower and less dainty than Maura's perfectly feminine sounds. Unbeknownst to Jane, Maura found the rasp in Jane's voice incredibly sexy.

Finally, as Maura's hand pressed against her, Jane received some relief from the throbbing she felt at her core, and she tried hard to stifle the moans in her throat she thought must be unfairly unattractive.

Maura only wanted to encourage the sounds Jane made, so sexy and raw, and so important to Jane's final sense of release. She pressed her hand against Jane in a pulsating rhythm, trying to coax more out of Jane.

When Jane still bit her lip in a somewhat successful attempt to be discreet about her pleasure, Maura slid her hand upward slowly, sliding just her fingertips under the hem of Jane's panties. She kissed back up to Jane's neck, then up Jane's jaw, placed a peck on Jane's lips, and then looked at Jane.

"Okay?" she asked, waiting for permission before she slid her hand fully beneath Jane's last article of clothing.

Jane opened the eyes she had been holding tightly closed and nodded. A strangled "Mhm," was her only vocal reply.

Maura placed her lips over Jane's, preparing to catch the moans Jane released as she slid her hand lower, finally touching the slick and scaldingly warm section of Jane's anatomy that had been the subject of all of Maura's recent fantasies.

Jane had a more difficult time concealing her moans now. One, because Maura's fingers were rubbing her clit now in slow circles and it felt so insanely _good_. And two, because Maura's tongue parted her lips and entered her mouth, causing Jane to give up some of the control she had previously had over her vocals.

When Maura felt Jane relax a little into their kiss, she slid her hand lower, lingering for a moment as she raised her head to look down at Jane. A nearly imperceptible nod gave her permission, and she slid one finger into Jane, again capturing Jane's lips to receive her moans.

Maura began a slow rhythm, keeping up her actions unchanged for a while to allow Jane to relax. Maura's free hand rested on Jane's shoulder, and when she felt the tension release from there, she carefully inserted a second digit.

The moan Maura received was pleasurable, so she guessed (which, God knows, she does _very_ rarely) she had done right. As Maura picked up the pace of her rhythm, she broke the kiss, yielding to Jane's increased vocalization.

"Maura…" Jane moaned as she felt the first waves of her impending release begin to accumulate, pressure building behind that invisible wall that at some point, rather soon, would break.

Maura pressed the occasional kiss against Jane. A kiss on the neck to aid the ministrations of her fingers. A kiss on the cheek to say "I love you." A kiss on the forehead for comfort, as if to say "it's okay."

And, as Jane begin to thrust her hips upward against Maura's rhythm, unable to recoil from the pleasure her body was pursuing of its own volition, a brief spark of worry flashed over her eyes.

This was another new line. Another line about to be crossed, and there was no turning back. She had to let go, completely, beneath Maura.

Maura, intently watching Jane, noticed this flash of worry. She gave Jane a peck on the forehead, and then vocalized its message.

"It's okay, Jane," she whispered.

Jane closed her eyes, and Maura thought she noticed a slight nod. "Maura…" Jane sighed, trembling more and more as her body neared its climax.

Another kiss on Jane's forehead.

"Maura…" Jane whimpered, her pleasure teetering on the precipice, ready to fall and take her into oblivion.

Yet another kiss. "It's okay, Jane."

"Maura, Maura, Maura, I'm gonna…" Jane moaned, her voice the raspiest Maura had ever heard it.

One more thrust of Maura's fingers would be the only push Jane needed to fall over the edge.

Maura kissed Jane's cheek, and whispered what it meant. "I love you, Jane."

And, with that, Jane was cast into her pleasurable oblivion, her release washing over her with such intensity so that she couldn't restrain her body's movements or cries. She turned her head into Maura, moaning into Maura's shoulder. For once in her sexual life, her release was unrestrained. She took refuge in Maura's lovingness, buried herself against Maura's body and deep within Maura's scent. It was the safest release, the safest exposure, Jane had ever experienced.

As the waves of pleasure subsided and Jane's spams grew mild, Jane went completely limp. Her head still turned into Maura, Jane did nothing to move her body. One by one, her senses regained functionality.

First, she could smell Maura. That beautiful, full, enticing scent she had grown to love. Then, she could feel Maura, could feel Maura pressed against her, holding her, could feel Maura's hand stroking through her long, tangled hair. Next, she could hear Maura, could hear Maura's soft whispers of "shh, Jane, I've got you. I love you." And, then, as she slowly managed to open her eyes and roll her head back out of Maura's shoulder, she could see Maura, could see Maura looking down at her with that deep, affectionate gaze Jane had grown to depend on.

And then, she could taste Maura. As Maura leaned down, Jane welcomed Maura into a long, happy kiss.

When Maura pulled back from the kiss to look at Jane, what she saw was nothing short of adorable. Her dazed Detective Jane Rizzoli lay there, looking up at her…

Jane laid there, staring at Maura with eyes that weren't unpracticed in conveying an unspoken love, but, this time, she looked at Maura with an affection so strong, so fully realized, and so unbridled that her eyes became the windows to her overflowing heart, a heart so captivatingly brimming that Maura could not bring herself to look elsewhere.

When they finally broke the stare and Maura leaned down for another kiss, Maura couldn't have fathomed, hypothesized, theorized, or, surely not guessed, how long she had been lost in Jane's loving eyes.

There was no scientific explanation for how time had just stopped.

Their lips met in a kiss slow and searching, a kiss expressive of the precious moment they had just shared cradled in each other's emotions.

It was one of those moments that never really ends, one of those moments that just gets carried forever in the hearts of those that cherish it. Jane often recalled it and smiled. Maura often recalled it and had to put her hand over her aching heart. And the best times were those when they could recall it together.

For now, they weren't recalling it. They were living it.

Jane's hands travelled to Maura's hair and tangled themselves in the physical body of the scent she loved so much. Maura's hands cupped Jane's angular cheeks, loving the sharpness and softness of them, a perfect description of her wonderful Jane.

Even when their lips came apart, their emotions remained interlaced. And both women knew that this was where they wanted to be for a very, very long time.

"I love you so much, Maura." Jane whispered, her eyes sparkling as she brought her hand forward to cradle Maura's cheek.

Maura brought her hand to rest over Jane's, holding it to her cheek. She closed her eyes and, she couldn't help it, a tear squeezed out the corner of her right eyelid.

Jane almost cried herself at the sight, and that's something she doesn't do very often.

"You're okay, Maura?" Jane asked softly.

"Yes, Jane, I am. It's just that-"

"Your amygdagahala and lacrimental-something-or-other glands have a connection you can't really control?" Jane asked, smirking. She simply couldn't help herself.

Maura gave way to a singular chuckle, and a couple more tears streamed out at the additional squeezing of her eyelids. She opened her eyes, which were each covered in their own teary blanket.

"No, Jane," she giggled, "It's just that I love you so much."

A thoughtful silence settled, where both women were lost in thought for a moment about how much they actually loved each other.

Maura broke it, returning the joke, "It's _amygdala _and _lacrimal_."

Jane laughed. "Pardon me, Doctor Isles."

Jane rolled over on to her back, sighing happily and closing her eyes. Maura snuggled up to Jane, sliding an arm over her chest.

Maura heard a soft voice from above where her head rested by Jane's shoulder say, "Thank you, Maur."

Maura absent-mindedly stroked Jane's naked shoulder with her delicate fingers. "For what, Jane?"

"For…" Jane went silent, looking for words that would get her point across, "for…loving me so much that…_that_ was possible."

Maura smiled. "Tonight was exactly how I hoped it would be, and better still."

"God, same here, Maura…" Jane whole-heartedly agreed. But then her thoughts took a turn, contemplating a different concern of hers. "…but did I make weird sounds?"

Maura laughed heartily, lifting herself up on her elbow to smile down at Jane. She said simply, "No."

Jane threw her head back into the pillow and closed her eyes. "Oh, c'mon, Maura, your smirk says it all!"

Maura giggled, "No, Jane, I'm serious. You were quite vocal, yes. More so that I thought you would be. But your "sounds" are not "weird." They're sexy. A turn on. Not to mention, beautiful."

Jane rolled her eyes playfully. "Maura. Seriously? "Beautiful," Jane finger-quoted the word, "is overkill."

"No, Jane," Maura said firmly enough that Jane paid attention, "I mean that. Tonight, everything about tonight, _including _this example, was beautiful."

Maura's tone made Jane smile. She knew Maura couldn't lie. At least, she didn't see any hives.

Maura lowered herself back to the bed and snuggled against Jane, her sleepiness overtaking her. She closed her eyes as she heard Jane sigh lazily. Both women were giving way to sleep.

"You're right, Maur. Tonight was beautiful."


	16. Chapter XVI: The Morning After

**A/N: Here's a little smut-filled chapter... It's a good thing they have all weekend. ;)**

* * *

Maura stirred, an unknown something waking her. Her heavy consciousness was lazy, like she was still half asleep. She looked at the clock. 3:45am. The room was dark and quiet, a soft, moonlight glow framing the windows through closed curtains. Maura often woke once or twice in the night, usually being able to fall back asleep. For some reason, this time she noticed the excessive peacefulness that blanketed itself over her.

Then she felt the sleeping body against her, and she remembered.

A faint lavender scent washed over her. A few strands of dark hair tickled her cheek. Half of her naked body pressed up against the warmth of another. Her arm loosely draped itself across taught muscle. She could hear soft, steady breathing and feel against her the comforting rise and fall that accompanied it.

The memories of earlier flooded through Maura and filled her with an overpowering affection. She nuzzled herself into Jane, burying her face deeper into Jane's curls and breathing in more deeply her beautiful scent.

She tightened the grip of her arm which was resting on Jane's stomach, laying her hand over Jane's angular hip bone, reveling in the feeling of it – simultaneously hard and soft, bone covered in smooth skin.

In a possessive gesture, she raised her leg to drape it over and rest between Jane's. The peaceful intimacy of the action caused her to melt in to Jane and, smiling and happy, she drifted again back to sleep.

Maura hadn't known that her stirrings had awoken Jane. Jane hadn't minded, of course. She so enjoyed the feeling of Maura sleeping against her. Jane lifted her arm, resting her hand on Maura's thigh that now lay across her. Her thumb made a few lazy brushes against Maura's smooth skin before she fell asleep again, that affectionate smirk remaining on her lips.

* * *

When the two women woke again, it was the light of dawn rather than the moon that peaked in from behind the curtains.

Jane awoke first, but didn't get up. She just lay there, gratefully conscious of the still-sleeping Maura who had burrowed herself into her. Jane slid her fingertips lightly against Maura's thigh still draped across her, and brought her other hand up to slowly stroke her fingers through Maura's honey-blonde hair. She turned her face into Maura, placing long, affectionate kisses into the top of Maura's head.

It was to these pleasant attentions that Maura awoke. Slowly, in long, lazy stages. She still felt heavy from drowsiness when she began to place her own loving kisses into Jane's exposed shoulder.

"Morning, beautiful," Jane whispered into Maura's hair. "Beautiful" was a term of endearment that Jane would have previously refrained from using, directed at her friend Maura Isles, beings as she felt it slightly overstepped the "just friends" line, a line she been realizing was getting more and more difficult to see sharply and to stay behind. But, now, she felt a sense of freedom. No longer did she have to strain to see the "line." She was free to act upon her urge to call her best friend beautiful. Because, in fact, she was.

Maura still functioned in sleepiness, and her only vocal reply was a sing-songy "MmMm" into Jane's shoulder that her lips were pressed against. Jane supposed it was supposed to be a moany version of "morning."

Jane chuckled at the vibration against her naked skin, coaxing Maura a little further out of sleep.

"I can't believe I'm waking up like this," Jane pondered aloud.

Maura knew what Jane was talking about, but she still asked, sleepily, "Like what?"

"With you," was the first thing that popped into Jane's mind to say. But there were other special things about the morning. "I mean, I've woken up next to you before…but never like…_this._" She used her hand to gesture down at their intertwined bodies before returning it to Maura's thigh. She continued, "And never after…you know, last night. And never with a full weekend of off-call-ness ahead of us. And just. Wow. Normally I am _not_ a morning person. But this morning converts me."

Maura chuckled, placing a final kiss against Jane's shoulder before sighing contentedly and burying her face into Jane's hair, bringing a hand up to gently grasp Jane's jaw while she continued her kisses against Jane's neck. She whispered between kisses, "I've never been so happy to wake up."

Jane felt the tingling sensation travel down her body as Maura placed kisses into her neck. She stroked down the length of Maura's thigh, feeling the heat between their bodies increase.

Jane closed her eyes, enjoying the intimacy, and whispered back, "I rarely feel anything but grumpy in the mornings. It's actually kinda weird to feel totally content."

Maura, now fully awake, rotated her body and lifted herself to her hands and knees to hover over Jane, looking down at her with a smile. She asked playfully, "Could you get used to it?"

Jane reached up to pull Maura down into a kiss, murmuring against Maura's lips a most definitely affirmative "Mmmhm."

Jane felt Maura smile against their kiss, and Jane consciously realized how much she loved the feeling of Maura's soft lips. She felt that familiar ache begin at her core. She took Maura's bottom lip between hers and slid her tongue against it.

That tingling, weak feeling shot straight to Maura's knees that now supported her. She loved those little displays of confidence and want from Jane, and they were only becoming more frequent now that they both felt secure in the relationship.

Maura started to lower herself on to Jane, the feelings of Jane deepening the kiss weakening each and every one of her muscle groups so that she didn't trust her quivering limbs to support her any longer, and Jane took the opportunity to flip Maura over on to her back, positioning herself over Maura.

Maura squealed at the sudden change in position, and then laughed at her own ridiculous sound. Jane chuckled, looking down at Maura with amusement and affection.

"Sorry, but I wanted to do _this_," Jane said as she dipped to kiss her way down Maura's neck, sliding her lips down Maura's creamy skin in a path toward her breasts. She loved that she could do that now.

Maura's breath caught, and she brought her hands up to Jane's hair, holding Jane's head against her chest.

"Mmm, no apologies necessary," Maura moaned as Jane took a nipple in between her lips. "Someone woke up a little frisky," she joked, closing her eyes and smiling widely.

Jane switched her attention to Maura's other breast. "Well, you see, there was this gorgeous naked woman sleeping against me…"

Maura laughed, her head dipping back into the pillow.

"…and I just couldn't help it," Jane finished, lifting her head and grinning from ear to ear as she moved her way back up to look at Maura.

"Thank you for last night," Jane said as she leaned down to place a kiss on Maura's lips, "Can last night be every night?"

"That would require breaking the space-time continuum," Maura joked against Jane's lips, eliciting a groan from the detective, "But we could make last night's activities a nightly routine."

Jane chuckled, "I'd like that." She lowered herself until she felt Maura underneath of her, their skin coming into contact, and she slipped a leg between Maura's. "Like, really, really like that."

"Mmm," Maura moaned at the feeling of Jane's leg between hers, "I can see that."

They kissed passionately, as if both women now felt entirely comfortable being openly sexual around the other. It was clear that last night had been a success; their chemistry definitely carried over into sex. Last night had opened the door into a realm both women were clearly eager to explore.

Jane couldn't believe how aroused just _kissing _Maura could make her. Well, admittedly, she did also have the beautiful woman lying naked underneath her. And, come to think of it, she had her own self spread over Maura's thigh. The kissing definitely had something to do with her arousal, but Jane decided she probably couldn't write off the other things, even with as much as Maura's kiss was turning her on. She wondered how soon Maura would be able to feel the hot wetness down on her thigh.

The reality was that, as their centers pressed against each other's thighs, it didn't take long for both women to become aware of the heated arousal of the other, even through the panties they still wore.

The heat Maura felt against her thigh spurned her onward, and she let her hands travel down Jane's back, over the fabric of Jane's only article of clothing, resting one hand against Jane's backside and sliding one further down to press against the back of the thigh that wedged itself between her own. She made gentle pulls in sync with the small thrusts her hips made upward. Jane matched Maura's rhythm with her own hips.

Jane broke the kiss and panted against Maura's neck, "Maura…"

Maura continued her motions. "Mmm, Jane."

Jane's lips lightly brushed against Maura's neck, but she was rapidly losing her coherence to press kisses into Maura's skin. She could smell Maura, and that combined with the way Maura was moving against her was drowning her in newfound sensations.

The only thing Jane could think to say was, "Maura. You smell so _good._"

Maura laughed but didn't still, clearly a bit distracted by her own share of newfound sensations. She felt those sensations accumulate inside her, already building. She realized she would find her release soon.

"Is this okay, Jane?" she asked, still unable to stop, hopeful of a positive reply.

"Mm, Maura, mhhm…" Jane managed against Maura's neck. This was definitely okay. But, she _was_ a little concerned of the quickness of it all. She felt herself losing the battle against the amassing feelings between her legs. Maura was just. Unbelievably sexy. A soft moan escaped Jane. She didn't mean to lose control. But, Maura.

Jane warned Maura, her voice low and barely above a whisper, ragged, coming in short bursts of coherence, "Yeah…Maura, this is…good," she paused to moan, "but, I can't…I mean, god, Maura, I'm almost gonna…"

"It's okay, Jane," Maura reassured Jane, still aware of the remote insecurities Jane felt about coming undone in front of someone. She ignored her own need for release, focusing solely on Jane.

Jane couldn't help it. It was like last night revealed to her an experience, made her insatiable. On the one hand, she was slightly ashamed. On the other, she couldn't hold back. And that kinda felt…good.

Jane felt herself approach the edge, moaning the only word that came to mind. "Maura…"

Maura held Jane tightly, partly pleased with herself for being there for Jane to feel comfortable with, but mostly proud of Jane for letting go. She kissed Jane's head as she felt Jane's body tense.

One more pull of Maura's hands, tugging Jane across her thigh, and Jane was gone. Again. For the second time in twenty four hours. Unbridled and gone, gone, gone.

She released her cries into Maura's neck, riding out her orgasm against Maura's thigh, spasming in pleasure until she went limp over Maura's body.

Jane lay there, calming her breaths, gradually becoming aware of Maura's hands traveling her back, rubbing her muscles in slow, loving circles. The motions were so comforting. Excessively so. Like, so wonderful that feelings like this shouldn't even exist.

But, apparently, contrary to what Detective Jane Rizzoli had previously believed, feelings like this _did_ exist. She relaxed into Maura, letting go of all her reservations to accept the mushy…cliché-ness of her feelings. It was just…okay. Because it was real and here and she loved Maura.

She really, really loved Maura.

No telling how many minutes later, Jane realized she was still lying over Maura, still receiving, still basking in the satisfaction of her premature release.

"Maura…" Jane whispered sheepishly, still yet unwilling to roll off of Maura and abandon the sensation of Maura's tender hands on her back, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…so fast."

Maura just smiled and pressed her hands firmly into Jane's back, squeezing her, holding her, telling her it was okay. She remained silent until Jane rolled off of her, propped herself up on an elbow, and looked at her.

Maura saw the grimace in Jane's eyes. "It's honestly okay, Jane."

"I mean…I didn't mean to," Jane directed her eyes away from Maura's, "If I was a guy, that would have been awful. Two minutes and I can't even handle it." Jane nervously chuckled.

Maura rolled on top of Jane, surprising her with eager kisses to her neck. "That's one incredible thing about both being women. We can make love as many times as we need to…" Maura whispered seductively, slowly kissing up Jane's jaw.

When Maura reached Jane's lips, Jane reached her hands up to bury them in Maura's hair, threading her fingers through thick golden curls that pooled around their faces.

Maura broke the kiss to look down at Jane. Her eyes grew sympathetic of the reluctance she still saw on Jane's face.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Maura soothed Jane with her words.

Jane stared at Maura, as if searching Maura's eyes for the reassurance she needed to let go of her uneasiness.

And then, as if she found it, Jane deeply sighed, "Okay."

Maura raised her eyebrows, questioning.

"Okay," Jane repeated, this time her tone more certain.

Maura smiled lovingly and dipped down to place a chaste kiss on Jane's lips before raising her head again to look at Jane with eyes brimming with love. She whispered, pausing between each word, as if she was still finding her phrasing, still formulating speech to express her thoughts, "I…just want to be…here for you now, Jane. …I want to be…here to take care of you…to take care of your needs. Including…this one."

Jane smiled up at Maura, endeared to her.

"I want…" Maura continued, "I _don't_ want…you to be…ashamed, ever, of making love to me." Maura seemed satisfied with that conclusion, and leaned down again to place another kiss on Jane's lips.

Maura meant it to be just a peck, a loving seal to the words she just spoke, but Jane reached up and held her there, keeping Maura's lips against hers.

They sealed Maura's words together, in long, passionate kisses.

Maura sighed breathily into the kiss, overwhelmed with the love for Jane that had overtaken her. When she broke the kiss some minutes later, she slid off of Jane and snuggled into Jane's side.

Jane wrapped her arm around Maura and held her close, closing her eyes in contentment.

"Thank you, Maura," Jane whispered, cuddling the woman next to her, "Thank you for being so wonderful. I could never feel ashamed loving you."

Maura smiled, her eyes also closed, and she felt that content, warm, satisfied pleasure pulling her back into lazy sleepiness. "I love you so much, Jane."

"I love you too, Maura," Jane said softly, placing a kiss on Maura's forehead.

Both women felt the tugs of sleep pulling at them again, coaxing them back into subconsciousness. It was early morning. It was their weekend to relax. Normally, Jane would have been entirely fine with allowing her body a couple more hours of sleep. But one thing was nagging at her.

She whispered, trying to fight the sleepiness of her post-orgasm stupor, "Maura, what about you?"

Maura knew what Jane was referring to.

"It's okay, Jane," Maura spoke soft reassurances, "I know you'll make it up to me later."

Maura had just enough energy to look over at Jane and playfully wink before both women dozed off once more, peacefully lying in each other's arms.

* * *

**A/N: All weekend...**


	17. XVII: Still The Morning After

**A/N: Sorry for being gone. School's starting again, and I'm quite busy. And, just so you know, until their weekend is up, it's just going to be smut, smut, and more smut...**

* * *

Jane and Maura didn't wake up for another couple of hours, their bodies grateful for the extra sleep. Rest like this was a rare treat for the active Detective and Medical Examiner. The murderers of Boston seemed never to give consideration to their sleep cycles.

When the two women awoke, the lighting behind the windows made it evident that it was no longer dawn, but mid-morning.

Maura was the first to awake, peacefully, her limbs still entangled with Jane's. She turned her head to face Jane, her eyes deepening with a gentle affection as she observed the energetic detective sleeping serenely. She looked so beautiful.

Maura sighed happily, watching Jane sleep. She could have watched Jane forever.

It was as if Maura's awakening unwittingly prompted Jane to surface from sleep, because, shortly after Maura awoke, Jane began to stir. It must have been the subtle shifts in the air, that unexplainable sixth sense that allows for the phenomenon of intimate companions to seemingly mind read or that causes one to sense another's presence, those elusive, intuitive drafts that breeze under the surface of a shared subconsciousness. As a detective, Jane Rizzoli was particularly good at detecting these silent states of presence, states of mind, shifts in demeanor. But she had always been especially in tune with those of Maura Isles.

Jane responded to Maura, intellectually, physically, emotionally, consciously and subconsciously, in ways that made Maura wonder if she and Jane weren't, in fact, bound by some special undercurrent profoundly intimate and beyond scientific, or even literary, explanation.

Jane awoke in Maura's arms, awoke to Maura's admiring stare which reflected these pondering thoughts.

She stirred and sighed, nuzzling into Maura and sleepily pulling Maura's arms tighter around her. Jane's eyes were barely open when she turned to see Maura's sparkling gaze, and she smirked at Maura. She asked, amused and drowsily, "What?"

"I love you so much," was Maura's gentle reply, a wave of affection visibly crashing across her eyes.

At those words, Jane's amusement left her, replaced by the feeling of swelling in her chest, that cavity inside of her where her love for Maura grew more and more each day. Her eyes opened fully, their brown pools shining deep. She lifted a hand to Maura's cheek, sweeping away a wisp of honey-blonde hair with her thumb. The corners of Maura's lips turned upward; she smiled sweetly.

"I love you too," Jane whispered as she rotated her body on the bed, positioning herself on her side so that she could lean in to kiss Maura. She still held Maura's cheek, stroking it softly with her thumb, as she kissed Maura a sweet good morning.

They kissed, losing track of time. Time didn't matter, because they were exclusively each other's, for the entirety of the weekend.

They pulled away with smiles, staring at each other happily, staring with that gaze that they had shared so often before; but now, now they could finally allow it to mean what it meant. They finally felt free to let that loving stare say what it intended to say to say all along. _I love you._

Maura took a deep, pleased breath, rolling on to her back to look at the ceiling. She spoke, her words pleasantly acknowledging the endless possibilities that the day could bring, "What do you want to do today?"

Jane remained on her side, propped up on her elbow, looking at Maura fondly. "Stay in bed," she deadpanned.

Maura laughed, turning her head to look at Jane. Jane smiled at the way Maura's hair splayed out all across the pillow in beautiful, golden curls.

"I suppose that can be arranged," Maura responded playfully, raking her eyes quickly over Jane's body.

Jane slid her hand across the mattress, traveling the space between them to find Maura's fingers, intertwined them with her own, and gave a loving squeeze.

They didn't break their eye contact until Jane's stomach grumbled, and both women laughed.

"I could make you breakfast," Maura offered.

"_I_ could make _you_ breakfast," Jane countered, remembering the groceries she had purchased specifically for Maura's sake.

"We could make breakfast for each other, together," Maura compromised, smiling at how adorable Jane could be, when she wanted to.

"That sounds good…" Jane trailed off, a definite "but" imminent in her tone, "but that would require leaving the bed."

Maura chuckled, "We still need to eat, Jane."

"Dammit, Maura, always the voice of reason…" Jane joked, shooting Maura a playful smirk.

Maura laughed.

"Fine," Jane conceded, "as long as I get to kiss and touch you whenever I feel like it."

"Jane," Maura responded, her tone a little more serious that Jane had been expecting, "I want you to realize that that's the way things will be, from now on. That freedom is not exclusive to this weekend. We're together now."

Jane smiled as Maura leaned in to kiss her. Maura gently picked up one of Jane's hands in her own.

Maura continued, "You can kiss me," she kissed Jane on her lips and brought Jane's hand to her chest, beginning to guide Jane's fingertips over her skin, "and touch me," she ran Jane's hand down the front of her body, between her breasts and down her stomach, stopping just below her belly button, "whenever you feel the urge." Maura sealed her words with a kiss.

Jane's stomach jumped as her fingers ghosted over Maura's smooth skin, and she brought her free hand up to Maura's neck to hold her there for another kiss.

"Deal," she whispered softly, kissing Maura with an edge that hadn't been there five minutes ago, smiling at the implications of Maura's words.

Maura felt the heat at her core rage up. Her desires from earlier were still left unsatisfied, and although she was one hundred percent confident that Jane _would_ make it up to her, it didn't stop that unquenched ache from pestering her lower abdomen.

Jane felt the change in Maura, felt their interactions shift from purely loving to lovingly lustful. She deepened the kiss, sliding her tongue into Maura's mouth, and she gently used a hand on Maura's shoulder to push Maura flat against the bed. She lifted a leg over and positioned herself over Maura.

"Jane," Maura whispered in between their kisses, "this isn't making breakfast."

Jane chuckled, sliding the backs of her hands down both of Maura's sides, delighting in the shiver she felt from the body beneath her.

"You're right, Maura, we aren't making breakfast…" Jane chuckled as she kissed Maura's jaw, "but I really like what we _are_ doing."

"But Jane," Maura half-heartedly protested, remembering the growl of Jane's stomach, "I know you're hungry."

"That's okay," Jane whispered seductively as she trailed her kisses to Maura's ear, "I know you'll make it up to me later." Jane said softly, echoing Maura's words from earlier, reminding Maura of the debt she was keen on repaying.

When Jane enclosed her lips over an earlobe and rolled her hips against Maura, Maura all but forgot her objections.

"Mmmkay…" Maura surrendered, moaning against Jane and wrapping her arms around Jane's back.

Jane ran her hands down Maura's body, feeling all the smooth skin she could reach while her body mostly covered the woman beneath her. Wanting to feel more, Jane slid herself slightly to the side, covering half of Maura, and moved her hand up Maura's body to rest over Maura's breast. She dipped her head in between Maura's head and shoulder to kiss the base of her neck.

Maura sighed as she felt Jane's hand begin to massage her breast, her nipples stiffening under Jane's fingers. She lost her hands in Jane's hair, lighting holding Jane's head against her, grounding herself.

Jane loved the feeling of Maura's soft skin, loved the intimacy of being able to touch Maura, relished the manifestations of Maura's pleasure, pleasure that she was bringing her.

Feeling a light pull from Maura's hands, Jane moved her kisses from Maura's neck, once again rolling herself over Maura's body to begin kissing her chest, working her kisses downward to where Maura was silently requesting. Maura didn't need to speak for Jane to act. Again, it was as if Jane was in tune to Maura's consciousness in a way that made intimacy feel…comfortable, and infinitely loving, and free.

Jane kissed down Maura's chest, kissing the valley between Maura's breasts before she worked her way up to circle her tongue around Maura's nipple. Maura sighed, tangling her hands in Jane's hair, lightly scratching and massaging Jane's scalp, letting Jane know of the love and appreciation she felt.

Maura bit her lip as she waited for Jane to enclose her lips around her nipple, anticipating the feeling of Jane's mouth. She let out a soft moan when Jane finally stopped her teasing kisses and took the nub between her lips.

Maura felt a flush come over her chest, up her neck, and to her cheeks. Jane noticed it as she glanced up at Maura, her mouth remaining on Maura's chest. Jane closed her eyes and fell deep into the sensory experience of making love to Maura. With her eyes closed, Maura's skin on her lips became somehow softer, and she noticed sounds coming from Maura that somehow she had missed previously. Jane relished it.

It all just felt so perfect.

Reactions to Jane started to occur in Maura's body; she felt her arousal become urgent, felt the aching at her core intensify. She moved under Jane, stirring, trying to find that position that gave her some friction, some contact to appease the feelings between her thighs.

Jane responded to Maura's movements. Sliding her hand down Maura's body, she traced with delicate fingertips the feminine, intimate line of Maura's side, causing Maura to shiver.

Maura felt her body ache, felt a certain wetness between her thighs, and fell in love with the feeling of it all happening to her while being cradled in the lovingness of Jane.

Jane had a sudden desire to lower her kisses. She had a sudden desire to…taste Maura. She wondered how this felt so natural, how that desire, which until now had remained so dormant, now suddenly surfaced as some innate craving in connection with her love for Maura. But, for some reason, Jane shook that desire away. Somehow, it didn't feel like the right time. Later…soon. Later, this weekend.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Jane resumed her intense concentration on Maura. She slid her hand down Maura's stomach, feeling the muscles underneath her palm strained taut in anticipation.

Jane curled her fingers under the waistband of Maura's panties. Another thought hit Jane. She hadn't yet seen Maura naked. A part of her wanted to rip Maura's panties off and just look at her, right now. But, again, somehow she didn't want to change the direction of this moment. These desires, to taste Maura, to _see_ Maura, were other intimacies she would save for later. Later…soon. Later, this weekend.

Once again shaking distracting thoughts from her mind, Jane focused on Maura. She used the heel of her hand to press against Maura through the fabric. Maura pressed back, arching slightly into the delicious touch.

Jane ground her hand against Maura until Maura's moans gained a building consistency. She paused her hand to kiss Maura, drawing attention to the tender affection which it represented, before lifting her hand to slide it beneath wet fabric.

Jane passed her fingers up the length, and then down the length, of this most intimate place of Maura. The intimacy of the moment suddenly struck Jane, and she whimpered against Maura's skin, still placing kisses wherever on Maura's chest her mouth happened to be.

Jane wondered if that sudden striking of intimacy, that new, exciting thrill, would accompany every love-making session with Maura.

Maura took one hand from Jane's hair to grasp the sheets in her fist as her pleasure was coaxed further and further towards release. She bit her lip and moaned as Jane's fingertips paused at her opening.

Taking this as a sign to continue, Jane slowly, with no less care than she had exhibited last night, slid a finger into Maura, moaning along with Maura as she felt the softness of Maura's inner walls.

Again, Jane wondered if this feeling would ever cease to feel new and wonderful.

"Jane…" came Maura's soft sigh, and Jane's heart fluttered.

Jane's heart stopped, and then slowly resumed beating, the thumping in her chest resonating more powerfully in her chest than it had five seconds before.

"Jane…" came Maura's stronger sigh, more like a moan now, as Jane's fingers began their slow rhythm inside Maura. Jane added another finger.

Maura's grasp tightened around the sheets, and the fingers of her other hand curled tighter inside Jane's raven mane. Again, Jane whimpered at the intimacy of the moment. Curling her fingers slightly inside Maura, Jane reveled in the sounds of Maura as her body neared its release.

"Mm, Maura…" Jane whispered as she continued her kisses around Maura's breasts. She still couldn't believe this, this absolutely incredible thing, loving Maura, was going to be…a…regular thing. From now on. Yet again, she whimpered. And her heart fluttered.

"Jane, I'm so close…"

Jane's stomach jumped, and she quickened the pace of her fingers, kissing Maura with even more of her abundant love.

Maura closed her eyes. She closed her eyes, and felt Jane's silky hair pooled around her chest. She closed her eyes, and felt Jane's kisses placing reverence across her breasts. She felt Jane's soft skin, the soft skin of Jane's beautiful body, pressing against her. She felt her own skin's dampness as a slight coating of perspiration accompanied her body's exertion. She felt Jane's fingers, stroking that most intimate ache inside of her…

And then, her eyes squeezed tighter shut as she felt all that pleasure channel itself into one powerful release.

"Jaaane…" was Maura's cry as she came, writhing beneath Jane, her orgasm washing over her as she remained safe in Jane's loving arms.

To hear her name associated with Maura's most extreme physical pleasure was quite possible the headiest sound Jane had ever experienced. It was absolutely intoxicating.

Jane didn't wonder this time if it would always be new and exciting. She just knew. She just knew it always would be. There was nothing better than making love to Maura Isles.

Jane held Maura as her body calmed down, kissed her back to consciousness, whispered her assurances of love. Maura slowly began to smile as she became coherent.

Jane glanced up at Maura's face from where she kissed Maura's chest, and she smiled too upon seeing Maura's happy expression. She placed her smiling kisses up Maura's body before she began to kiss Maura's lips.

They kissed, yet more assurances of affectionate adoration.

Jane gently pulled away and looked down at Maura, softness pervading her expression. "That is never going to get old," she said quietly.

Maura smiled. "What?"

"Making love to you."

Maura pulled Jane back into a kiss, inhaling the scent of her wonderful Jane before releasing her, pulling back to look at her.

"I love you," Maura whispered.

Jane leaned down to kiss Maura's nose, and Maura giggled.

"I love you, too."

"Now," Maura said, matter-of-factly, "as soon as I get my legs back, we'll go make breakfast."

Jane lowered her body and snuggled into Maura, her head in the crook of Maura's neck and her arm draped across Maura's body, much like the way Maura had snuggled her the night before.

She kissed Maura's shoulder before closing her eyes.

"No rush."

* * *

**A/N: Let me know how you liked it and what else you would like to see happen...**


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